The Relationship Between Depression and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents at SMAN 2 Mataram

Abstract

Adolescence is a vulnerable period for mental health problems, particularly depression, which has been associated with suicidal behavior. Suicide remains a major public health concern among young people, with 1,350 cases reported in Indonesia in 2023.This analytical observational study used a cross-sectional design implicate 306 students selected through stratified random sampling based on grade level (10th, 11th, and 12th grade) with proportional allocation from each stratum. Data were collected using the Indonesian version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). The BDI-II includes a total of 21 questions that can yield scores between 0 and 63, which are divided into categories of minimal, mild, moderate, and severe depression. In contrast, the SBQ-R features 4 questions that evaluate the risk of suicidal behavior. Both instruments demonstrated good validity and internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.90 for BDI-II and 0.896 for SBQ-R. Data were examined through the application of Spearman's correlation analysis. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between depression and suicidal actions (r = 0.420; p < 0.001), suggesting a moderate connection between these two factors. Among the adolescents at SMAN 2 Mataram, depression was found to be positively linked with suicidal behavior, displaying a moderate correlation; nonetheless, causation cannot be determined because of the cross-sectional study design.