Suicide Ideation and Its Relationship to Depressed Mood in a Community Sample of Adolescents in Hong Kong

Abstract

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