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Depression, Substance Use and Suicidality in Help-Seeking Adolescents: A Survey of Prevalence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2016

Elizabeth Cosgrave ,
Eóin Killackey ,
Alison Yung ,
Joe Buckby ,
Katherine Godfrey ,
Carrie Stanford ,
Antonia Stuart  and
Patrick D. McGorry
Elizabeth Cosgrave*
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Eóin Killackey
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Alison Yung
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Joe Buckby
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Katherine Godfrey
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Carrie Stanford
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Antonia Stuart
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Patrick D. McGorry
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
*
Grad Dip App Psych, Honorary Research Fellow, c/o ORYGEN Research Centre, Locked Bag 10, Parkville Victoria 3052, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Mental health problems affect a sizeable minority of Australian adolescents. Depression and substance use disorders are common mental disorders reported in this age group. Difficulties of this nature that manifest in adolescence will often continue into adulthood. This report describes a sample of adolescents referred to a public mental health service with respect to their psychiatric diagnoses, depressive symptoms, patterns of substance use and level of suicidality. Mood disorders and substance-use disorders were both prevalent in the sample of participants, with sizeable comorbidity reflected in the number ol participants meeting criteria for both of these diagnoses. Data revealed participants with a psychiatric diagnosis were significantly more likely to have made a suicide attempt than those with no diagnosis. High levels of depressive symptoms were associated with suicidality, illicit substance use, and the likelihood of having a psychiatric diagnosis. Heavy use of alcohol was prevalent in this group, but unrelated to the other variables of interest to the study. These results are discussed with respect to the importance of early detection of vulnerable students in a school setting.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , December 2004 , pp. 162 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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