Identifying depressed and suicidal adolescents in a teen health clinic.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the 6-month prevalence of depression and suicidal probability among new referrals to an adolescent health clinic.


METHODS
All subjects (n = 104) completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) prior to being seen by a physician and were categorized according to presenting problem (physical complaints only, psychological complaints only, and physical and psychological complaints combined).


RESULTS
Fifty-nine percent of the sample was depressed with 21% falling in the moderate range and 21% falling within the severe range of depression. Almost 23% of the sample demonstrated significant suicidal probability. The BDI and SPS were highly correlated (r = .73, p < .001) and 22% of the sample met criteria for both moderate to severe depression and suicidal probability. A significantly greater proportion of patients presenting with physical and psychological complaints combined (60%) met BDI criteria for depression than was found for the other two groups. Suicidal probability was most prevalent in patients presenting with psychological complaints only (26%) and moderate to severe depression and significant suicidal probability also coexisted to a greater extent within this group (26%).


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that depression and suicidal probability represent significant mental health problems within the adolescent clinic and the identification of high-risk individuals can be achieved through comprehensive screening practices.
Cappelli
M
M
Department of Psychology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa.
Clulow
M K
MK
Goodman
J T
JT
Davidson
S I
SI
Feder
S H
SH
Baron
P
P
Manion
I G
IG
McGrath
P J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*