The Role of Transdiagnostic Variables Within Gender Differences in Adolescents' Self Reports of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of suicide attempts peaks during adolescence, with adolescent girls having a higher rate of attempts than boys. Depression is one of the main risk factors of suicidal behaviour and yet not all adolescents with suicidal ideation or attempting suicide have a diagnosable depressive disorder. The present study examined the unique contributions to suicidal ideation and attempting suicide of cognitive processes known to be associated with depression and anxiety, but which are also transdiagnostic: anomalous perception of reality, intolerance of uncertainty, and rumination. METHOD: 605 adolescents (M= 13.22, SD= 1.03, 47% girls) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression showed that the anomalous perception of reality and intolerance of uncertainty were uniquely associated with the severity of suicidal ideation, even when accounting for symptoms of depression and anxiety, but only amongst girls. In a logistic regression, self-reported depression symptoms, and not underlying cognitive processes, predicted the likelihood of a person having attempted suicide versus not having done so. CONCLUSIONS: In adolescent girls, less frequently evaluated transdiagnostic variables may have an important impact on suicidal ideation. However, depression symptoms, and not these transdiagnostic variables, seem to be the greatest contributor to attempting suicide.

The Role of Transdiagnostic Variables Within Gender Differences in Adolescents’ Self Reports of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts / Variables Transdiagnósticas y Diferencias de Género en la Ideación yel Intento Suicida Adolescente

Background: The incidence of suicide attempts peaks during adolescence,with adolescent girls having a higher rate of attempts than boys. Depressionis one of the main risk factors of suicidal behaviour and yet not alladolescents with suicidal ideation or attempting suicide have a diagnosabledepressive disorder. The present study examined the unique contributions tosuicidal ideation and attempting suicide of cognitive processes known to beassociated with depression and anxiety, but which are also transdiagnostic:anomalous perception of reality, intolerance of uncertainty, and rumination.Method: 605 adolescents (M= 13.22, SD= 1.03, 47% girls) were evaluatedin a cross-sectional study. Results: Multiple linear regression showed thatthe anomalous perception of reality and intolerance of uncertainty wereuniquely associated with the severity of suicidal ideation, even whenaccounting for symptoms of depression and anxiety, but only amongstgirls. In a logistic regression, self-reported depression symptoms, and notunderlying cognitive processes, predicted the likelihood of a person havingattempted suicide versus not having done so. Conclusions: In adolescentgirls, less frequently evaluated transdiagnostic variables may have animportant impact on suicidal ideation. However, depression symptoms,and not these transdiagnostic variables, seem to be the greatest contributorto attempting suicide.

Antecedentes: la incidencia del intentosuicida repunta en la adolescencia, siendo la depresión uno de los principalesfactores de riesgo asociados. Esta investigación examina las contribucionesúnicas al intento e ideación suicida de variables transdiagnósticascomúnmente asociadas con la depresión y la ansiedad: percepciónanómala de la realidad, intolerancia a la incertidumbre y rumiación.Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal en el que se evaluarona 605 adolescentes (M=13.22, DT= 1.03, 47% chicas). Resultados: laregresión lineal múltiple mostró que, controlando los niveles de depresióny ansiedad, la percepción anómala de la realidad y la intolerancia a laincertidumbre resultaban predictivas de la ideación suicida en chicas. Enla regresión logística, los síntomas depresivos auto informados fueron máspredictivos del intento suicida que los procesos cognitivos subyacentes.Conclusiones: en las chicas adolescentes, estas variables transdiagnósticasmenos evaluadas parecen tener un papel importante en la ideación suicida.Sin embargo, sigue siendo la depresión la variable más predictiva para elintento suicida.

Cannabis use among early adolescents and transdiagnostic mental health risk factors.

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis is the most widely used psychoactive substance among adolescents worldwide, and the age at which consumption begins to decrease. Cannabis use in adolescents is associated with a wide range of adverse consequences in adulthood including increased vulnerability to psychosis and other mental disorders, as well as suicidal ideation and attempt. The aim of this study is to extend understanding of the link between cannabis use and mental illness by examining whether cannabis use at early ages predicts transdiagnostic variables that are precursors to severe clinical diagnoses. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample was made up of 605 adolescents from 7th to 9th grades, with a mean age of 13.2 years (SD = 1.0, 47% girls). The variables evaluated were: anomalous perception of reality, intolerance of uncertainty, rumination, suicide attempt, hopelessness, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The administration of the questionnaires was carried out in groups of 20 participants under the supervision of a researcher in a unique session of 1 hour. RESULTS: Adolescent cannabis users scored higher on all variables assessed: anomalous perception of reality (Cohen's d = .60), rumination (d = .48), intolerance of uncertainty (d = .11), suicidal attempt (affirmative answer: 25.9% of users vs 7.7% of non-users), hopelessness (d = .85), symptoms of depression (d = .80), and anxiety (d = .39). A binary logistic regression showed that the only variable uniquely related to cannabis use was hopelessness (Wald = 4.560, OR: 1.159, p = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Among some mental health risk factors, hopelessness appears uniquely related to cannabis use. Adolescents may use cannabis as a coping strategy for negative thoughts and emotions, or it may be a consequence of cannabis use. Future prevention programs should focus on preventing/treating modifiable factors such as hopelessness, and delaying cannabis use in specific subgroups of adolescents who experience pathologies such as depression or suicide attempts.