Introduction: Young people are inherently susceptible to mental health issues, particularly during their adolescent years. Though suicide is more prevalent among older adults compared to younger individuals, it remains one of the leading causes of death in late childhood and adolescence worldwide. It has become important to understand suicidal ideation and behavior in adolescents to identify the risk factors, including depression, and further facilitate its prevention. The present study aims to explore suicidal ideation and behavior and the presence of depression in adolescents. It also aims to see if younger adolescents differ from older adolescents in terms of suicidal ideation and behavior and depressive symptoms. Material and Methods: A total of 200 individuals of both genders aged 10–17 years were included in the study. A sample was selected from the clinics and different community areas of Kolkata. Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-R and Child Depression Inventory were administered to assess the presence of suicidal behavior and depression, respectively. Results: Suicidal behavior was evident in 35.5% of the participants, with younger adolescents being more in proportion. Depressive symptoms were present in 29% of the total sample, with older adolescents being more in proportion. Discussion: The findings implicate a significant number of adolescents at risk for suicidal behaviors, warranting attention for early identification and subsequent psychosocial intervention.
Halder et al. (Sat,) studied this question.