Detection of suicidal risk in a sample of adolescent high school students

Abstract

Detection of suicidal risk in adolescents, as well as determining if the instrument used adequately classifies the subjects in terms of the levels of perception of suicidal risk (mild, moderate and severe). Material and methods. Cross-sectional, correlational, ex-post facto study with a non-probabilistic sample of 1,169 people. The suicidal risk probability scale (SPS) was used, which collects information from four areas: hostility, negative self-attitude, suicidal ideation and hopelessness, showing good results. Relevant correlations were detected between the components of the scale. 34.7% of the population was classified as having a slight suicidal risk; 46.1%, with moderate and 19.2% with severe. In general terms, the instrument catalogs 90.0% of the interviewees in an appropriate way. conclusions. It is essential to promote the dissemination of objective information about suicidal risk as a psychosocial and public health problem to prevent the consummation of this behavior, reorienting adolescents and informing their relatives in the detection of signs that indicate the possible appearance of such facts in order to avoid as far as possible counterproductive results.