Factors Related with Suicidality in High-School Students : Focused on Perceived Academic Performance

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated factors related to suicide in high school students and focused on perceived academic performance. METHODS: We surveyed 293 grade 10 high-school students in Jeju and Gyeonggi provinces and gave them self-assessment questionnaires. To evaluate the suicide risk, the questionnaire included questions about suicidal thoughts, plans, threats, deliberate self-injury, and suicide attempts from the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI). Also, it included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Locus of Control Scale (LOC), Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale (RSE) and Perceived Academic Performance (PAP) to identify factors related to suicide in high school students. RESULTS: Depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem were related with suicidal thoughts, plans, attempts, and severe suicidal ideation (SSI score> or =16). In the multivariate analysis, a low level of PAP (OR=3.796, 95%CI 1.280-11.257) was significantly associated with severe suicidal ideation (SSI score> or =16). Deliberate self-injury was most prevalent in failing the PAP group and also having a high level of PAP (OR=6.161, 95%CI 1.474-25.760). CONCLUSION: The authors found that the suicide risk of high school students is related to depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem and a low level of PAP. These results provide significant indicators in planning an adolescent suicide prevention program.