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Depression, Substance Use and Suicidality in Help-Seeking Adolescents: A Survey of Prevalence

Depression, Substance Use and Suicidality in Help-Seeking Adolescents: A Survey of Prevalence AbstractMental health problems affect a sizeable minority of Australian adolescents. Depression and substance use disorders are common mental disorders reported in this age group. Difficulties of this nature that manifest in adolescence will often continue into adulthood. This report describes a sample of adolescents referred to a public mental health service with respect to their psychiatric diagnoses, depressive symptoms, patterns of substance use and level of suicidality. Mood disorders and substance-use disorders were both prevalent in the sample of participants, with sizeable comorbidity reflected in the number ol participants meeting criteria for both of these diagnoses. Data revealed participants with a psychiatric diagnosis were significantly more likely to have made a suicide attempt than those with no diagnosis. High levels of depressive symptoms were associated with suicidality, illicit substance use, and the likelihood of having a psychiatric diagnosis. Heavy use of alcohol was prevalent in this group, but unrelated to the other variables of interest to the study. These results are discussed with respect to the importance of early detection of vulnerable students in a school setting. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling Cambridge University Press

Depression, Substance Use and Suicidality in Help-Seeking Adolescents: A Survey of Prevalence

Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling , Volume 14 (2): 14 – Feb 12, 2016
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Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004
ISSN
1037-2911
eISSN
1839-2520
DOI
10.1017/S1037291100002478
Publisher site
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Abstract

AbstractMental health problems affect a sizeable minority of Australian adolescents. Depression and substance use disorders are common mental disorders reported in this age group. Difficulties of this nature that manifest in adolescence will often continue into adulthood. This report describes a sample of adolescents referred to a public mental health service with respect to their psychiatric diagnoses, depressive symptoms, patterns of substance use and level of suicidality. Mood disorders and substance-use disorders were both prevalent in the sample of participants, with sizeable comorbidity reflected in the number ol participants meeting criteria for both of these diagnoses. Data revealed participants with a psychiatric diagnosis were significantly more likely to have made a suicide attempt than those with no diagnosis. High levels of depressive symptoms were associated with suicidality, illicit substance use, and the likelihood of having a psychiatric diagnosis. Heavy use of alcohol was prevalent in this group, but unrelated to the other variables of interest to the study. These results are discussed with respect to the importance of early detection of vulnerable students in a school setting.

Journal

Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling – Cambridge University Press

Published: Feb 12, 2016

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