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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 6/2015

01-06-2015 | Original Paper

Help-seeking behaviour following school-based screening for current suicidality among European adolescents

Authors: Pádraig Cotter, Michael Kaess, Paul Corcoran, Peter Parzer, Romuald Brunner, Helen Keeley, Vladimir Carli, Camilla Wasserman, Christina Hoven, Marco Sarchiapone, Alan Apter, Judit Balazs, Julio Bobes, Doina Cosman, Christian Haring, Jean-Pierre Kahn, Franz Resch, Vita Postuvan, Airi Värnik, Danuta Wasserman

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 6/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

To screen and clinically interview European adolescents reporting current suicidality (suicidal ideation and suicide attempt) and investigate attendance at the clinical interview.

Methods

The Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) Project was carried out in 11 European countries. A baseline questionnaire was completed in school by 12,395 adolescents (mean age 14.9; SD 0.9). Those who screened positive for suicidality (attempting suicide and/or serious suicidal ideation or plans) in the past 2 weeks were invited to a clinical interview with a mental health professional.

Results

Of the 12,395 adolescents, 4.2 % (n = 516) screened positive for current suicidality. The prevalence ranged from 1.1 % in Hungary to 7.7 % in Israel (p < 0.001). 37.6 % (n = 194) of those who screened positive subsequently attended the clinical interview. Female students were more likely to attend for interview (42.0 % versus 30.6 %, p = 0.010). The attendance rate varied considerably across countries, from 5.7 % in Italy to 96.7 % in France (p < 0.001). Improved attendance was associated with using school as the only interview setting (Mean attendance rate, MAR = 88 vs. 31 %, p = 0.006) and arranging the interview within 1 week of contacting the student (MAR = 64 vs. 23 %, p = 0.013). The greater the travel time to interview, the lower the attendance rate (Pearson’s r = −0.64, p = 0.034). Independent of the variation by country, at the individual level, adolescents with more depressive symptoms and a recent suicide attempt more often attended for interview.

Conclusion

A high rate of current suicidality was found amongst European adolescents. However, the majority of these displayed limited help-seeking behaviour. Future studies should investigate ways of making screening programmes and other interventions more acceptable and accessible to young people, especially young males.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Help-seeking behaviour following school-based screening for current suicidality among European adolescents
Authors
Pádraig Cotter
Michael Kaess
Paul Corcoran
Peter Parzer
Romuald Brunner
Helen Keeley
Vladimir Carli
Camilla Wasserman
Christina Hoven
Marco Sarchiapone
Alan Apter
Judit Balazs
Julio Bobes
Doina Cosman
Christian Haring
Jean-Pierre Kahn
Franz Resch
Vita Postuvan
Airi Värnik
Danuta Wasserman
Publication date
01-06-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 6/2015
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1016-3

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