Suicide risk in high school students in Slovenia

The objective of this study was to determine the psychosocial factors which differentiate suicidal adolescents from their nonsuicidal peers. By means of a specially designed questionnaire, distributed to a representative sample of 4686 Slovene high school students of both sexes aged 14-19 years, we assessed their general characteristics, suicidal ideation and behavior, family circumstances, self-appraisal of the problems and ways of solving them, engagement in sport, and exposure to suicide in their close circle. Numerous important differences were established between suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. The data gathered will help further research into suicidal behavior in adolescents.