Assessing Self-rated Instruments to Detect Suicidal Thought among High School Students in Jakarta

Abstract

The 2015 Global School-Based Student Health Survey revealed that suicidal thought in Junior and High school students was 4.3% in males and 5.9% in females. This harmful idea might be associated with an emotional problem in Jakarta. This study aimed to search validity of instrument measuring emotional problem in identifying suicidal thought, and the association of both problems. Secondary data analysis was conducted
using survey result in one public and one vocational high school purposively chosen in 2015 by the Ministry of Health in South Jakarta. All students of the tenth and eleventh grade were assessed using self-rated of the Strengths and Difficulties Question (SDQ) to measure emotional problem, and Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) to detect potential depression including item asking suicidal thought. Analysis used criterion validity (sensitivity and specificity), and chi-square test. Respondents’ gender was almost twice in male and averagely aged 15 years. SDQ screened suicidal thought had 35.2% sensitivity (95%) CI 28.5% - 42.4%) and 85.6% specificity (95% CI 82.8% - 88%). Negative Predictive Value was 83.5% and Positive Predictive Value was 38.9% (p=0.001). Overall, emotional problem was found in 20.51%, potential depression was 30.39%, and suicidal thought was 18.3%.SDQ is specific but less sensitive in screening suicidal thought. Since suicidal thought in students of Jakarta was higher than the national figure, these self-rated instruments were strongly recommended utilized by the institution of high school in Jakarta in screening for a mental health problem.



Keywords: suicidal thought; high-school; Jakarta; SDQ; CDI.

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