DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG ITALIAN ADOLESCENTS PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM THE SEYLE PROJECT

Introduction: Depressive and suicidal symptoms are common in adolescence, although often underestimated. For example, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (2009) found that 6.3% of High School students had attempted suicide and that 13.8% had seriously considered attempting suicide, during the previous year. Objectives: SEYLE (Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe) is a randomized controlled trial evaluating school-based interventions for suicide prevention. The study, funded by the EU, comprises about 12,000 adolescents belonging to 11 European countries. Aims: This analysis investigated the prevalence of depression and suicidal behaviours in the Italian sample. Methods: The Italian sample consisted of 1195 students (mean age 15.3±0.6; 68% females) from the Molise region. A self-reported questionnaire, including also well-established instruments, was administered. For the current analysis we focused on the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Paykel Suicide Scale. Results: Mean BDI-II score was 8±6.48. Total BDI-II scores were significantly higher in females than males (8.83±6.72 vs 6.22±5.55; p<0.0001), even after controlling for age. 210 adolescents (17.8%) scored higher than 13, indicating some degree of clinical depression. Mean PSS score was 1.14±2.38. Females also scored higher than males on the PSS (1.28±2.45 vs 0.83±2.20; p=0.002), even after controlling for age. Conclusions: Our results show a high prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts also among Italian adolescents, especially among females. We know that more than 90% of adolescents who commit suicide suffered from an associated psychiatric disorder, so become particularly important an early detection and an appropriate care of adolescents showing signs of psychopathology and distress.