Psychotic boys performing well in school are at increased risk of suicidal ideation |
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Authors: | Vesa Tikkanen b med Antti Alaräisänen b med Helinä Hakko p hd Pirkko Räsänen md phd Kaisa Riala md phd and the STUDY- workgroup† |
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Institution: | Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, and;Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland |
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Abstract: | Aim: This study investigated how the level of school performance is associated with suicidal behavior and psychiatric disorders among adolescent psychiatric inpatients aged 12–17 years. Methods: Data were collected from 508 adolescents (300 girls, 208 boys; age 12–17 years) admitted to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization between April 2001 and March 2006. Information on the adolescents' school performance, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and self-mutilation as well as psychiatric DSM-IV diagnoses was obtained using the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children. Results: An elevated risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 1.3–10.2, P = 0.017) and of psychotic disorders (OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.0–10.0, P = 0.048) was observed among male adolescents performing well in school. In addition, adolescents with poor school performance had an increased likelihood of substance-related disorder both in boys (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.1–6.1, P = 0.027) and girls (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.2–5.1, P = 0.011). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that psychotic inpatient male adolescents performing well in school are at an elevated risk of suicidal ideation. Although good school performance is often considered a marker of high intelligence and good general ability, symptoms of major psychiatric disorders and suicidality need to be taken very seriously among adolescents performing well in school. |
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Keywords: | adolescent Finland inpatient psychiatric disorders school performance |
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