The association among negative life events, perceived problem solving alternatives, depression, and suicidal ideation in adolescent psychiatric patients

Previous research demonstrated that the combination of a negative life event (NLE) and less constructive perceived problem solving alternatives (PSAs) was associated with more depression in unselected adolescents. This study investigated these variables and their association with suicidal ideation in 80 adolescent psychiatric patients. Depressed patients reported more negative effects from NLEs, particularly family conflict and academic failure, and were more likely to consider self-destructive PPSAs than their less depressed counterparts. The impacts of NLEs and negative PPSAs were independently associated with both depression and suicidal ideation for this population, in contrast to non-patients. Copyright (C) 1996 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry.