title: Suicidal ideations and sleep-related problems in early adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Suicidal ideation and sleep-related problems are associated with many common psychopathological entities in early adolescence. This study examined possible association between suicidal ideation and sleep-related problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in classroom settings at 840 early adolescents 11-13 years of age. Of those, 791 adolescents fully completed the data and thus represent an actual sample. Suicidal ideations were assessed with three dichotomous (yes/no) items: 'I often think about death'; 'I wish I was dead'; 'I often think about suicide.' A composite measure of perceived sleep-related problems was formed by combining items from the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Do you find it hard to sleep at night because you are worrying about things?), Children Depression Inventory (It is hard for me to fall asleep at night), and two additional dichotomous questions (I often was not able to fall asleep because of worrying; At times I was not able to stay asleep because of worrying). This score mainly assessed difficulties in initiating or maintaining sleep.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7.1% adolescents reported suicidal ideation and 86.7% of them had sleep problems. Sleep-related problems were associated with any suicidal ideation and each type of ideation separately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests association of sleep problems and suicidal ideations in early adolescence. Therefore, clinicians should evaluate this population for sleep disturbances, as they might be a marker of increased risk for suicidality.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Split School of Medicine, University Hospital Center Split, Split, Croatia.
authors: Tomislav
authors: T
authors: Franić
authors: Zana
authors: Z
authors: Kralj
authors: Darko
authors: D
authors: Marčinko
authors: Rajna
authors: R
authors: Knez
authors: Goran
authors: G
authors: Kardum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation
keywords: early adolescence; sleep problems; suicidal ideation