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[Suicide and depression in adolescents]
1Service universitaire de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent Centre hospitalier Henri-Laborit, Poitiers.
La Revue Du Praticien
|March 2, 1999
Summary
Depression and suicide are strongly linked in adults. While previously denied in adolescents, studies now confirm a significant correlation between depression and suicidal ideation in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Adolescent Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The link between depression and suicide in adults is well-established.
- Historically, the association between depression and suicide in adolescents was debated due to atypical depressive symptoms.
- Recent epidemiological research increasingly supports this correlation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents.
- To compare the psychopathological underpinnings of suicide attempts and depression in adolescents versus adults.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies, including retrospective and prospective designs.
- Analysis of psychopathological factors differentiating adolescent and adult presentations.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation between depressive states and suicidal ideation is evident in the general population.
- Epidemiological studies confirm a link between depression and suicide in adolescents.
- Psychopathologically, adolescent suicide attempts may represent an attack on the self, while depression reflects an inability to detach from early developmental stages.
Conclusions:
- The correlation between depression and suicide is now accepted in adolescents.
- Understanding the unique psychopathological features in adolescents is crucial.
- Further research into the developmental aspects of adolescent depression and suicidality is warranted.