Gender and Cultural Differences in the 12-Month Prevalence of Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts in Swedish and Turkish Adolescents

This study compared the prevalence rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts among 966 Swedish and 959 Turkish (N = 1925) high school students. Nearly equal percentages of Swedish (23.2%) and Turkish (25.7%) students reported having had thoughts of killing themselves during the past 12 months. Turkish students reported greater current suicidal ideation than their Swedish peers. Significantly more Turkish (4.6%) than Swedish (2.7%) students reported having made attempts to kill themselves during the past 12 months. The most common reasons for suicidal thoughts and attempts in both groups were psychological problems (feelings of depression, hopelessness, meaning-lessness, and emptiness).