Suicide ideation and its relationship to depressed mood in a community sample of adolescents in Hong Kong

A sample of 996 Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong provided information about their suicide ideation. Their depressive symptoms were measured by the Chi nese Beck Depression Inventory (C-BDI), and a broad range of stressors were also assessed as potential predictors to level of suicide ideation. The st ressors and C-BDI scores predicted 33% of the variance in suicide ideation. In boys, most of the prediction was attributable to C-BDI scores, suggesti ng that depression mediated the effects of stressors. In girls, C-BDI score s, perceptions of low parental caring, and high conflict with parents had a dditive effects in predicting level of suicide ideation. This study contrib utes needed information about a non-Western population and highlights gende r differences.