An investigation of psychopathology in nonreferred suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents

This investigation examined self-reported psychopathology in a school-based sample of 456 suicidal and nonsuicidal adolescents. The sample consisted o f four groups: three at-risk for suicidal behavior based on current suicida l ideation as assessed by the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ; Reynold s, 1988), past suicide attempts, or both; and one nonsuicidal comparison gr oup. Psychopathology was examined using ten scales from the Adolescent Psyc hopathology Scale (APS; Reynolds, 1998a) including: Major Depression, Condu ct Disorder, Substance Abuse, Schizophrenia, Adjustment Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Borderline Personality Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, and Avoidant Personality Disord er. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females using a MANOVA design that examined psychopathology severity among the four groups. Adole scents who engaged in past or current suicidal behavior had higher psychopa thology severity scores compared to their nonsuicidal peers. Males with cur rent suicidal thoughts who had attempted suicide had the highest levels of psychopathology severity compared to males in the other three groups. Femal es with a past suicide attempt or current suicidal ideation had higher psyc hopathology severity scores compared to nonsuicidal females. Results show g reater psychopathology in school-based adolescents who have engaged in past and/or current suicidal behavior. The need for clinicians and mental healt h professionals working with at-risk youth to focus on concurrent psychopat hology along with suicidal behavior is discussed.