Suicidal Ideation In Young People Research Articles

Associations between meaning in life and suicidal ideation in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Suicidal ideation is a strong predictor of suicide among young people and is an outcome of interactions between protective and risk factors. Previous studies have focused primarily on risk factors while there is little evidence on important protective factors such as meaning in life. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between meaning in life and suicidal ideation among young people, and to explore potential moderating effects including demographics (gender and age) and social factors (economy and culture). We searched EBSCO, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science for relevant studies that reported correlations between meaning in life and suicidal ideation from their inception to October 2022. Studies were included in this review if they were empirical studies, written in English and sampled general young people aged 10–24. We employed a random-effects model meta-analysis to estimate the effect size. We identified 3168 references after removing duplicates and 11 studies (of 18 samples) were included in the review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a moderate negative correlation between meaning in life and suicidal ideation (r = -0.51, 95％CI [-0.57, −0.45]) in young people. In addition, the correlation between meaning in life and suicidal ideation was stronger in high-income (r = -0.51, 95％CI [-0.54, −0.48]) and individualist countries (r = -0.51, 95％CI [-0.53, −0.48]) compared with upper-middle-income (r = -0.39, 95％CI [-0.41, −0.37]) and collectivist countries (r = -0.40, 95％CI [-0.41, −0.38]), respectively, but comparable across gender and age. We identified strong negative associations between meaning in life and suicide ideation in high-income and individualist countries. This highlights that approaches targeting enhancing meaning in life should be considered in suicide prevention and intervention, especially in high-income and individualist countries.

The temporality of psychological constructs, suicidal ideation and emotional dysregulation: a longitudinal study in Mexican adolescents

Background. Adolescence could be considered a period of crisis (emotional and cognitive) where the permanence of psychological discomfort is expressed in different risk factors. That is why it is necessary to evaluate the temporality of psychological constructs. Objective. Analyse, over time, the permanence of emotional dysregulation, suicidal ideation and psychological constructs (emotional disorders, perceived social support, hopelessness, impulsivity, and attitudes and beliefs). Method. Study 1 was a cross-sectional, descriptive-comparative type of 109 teenaged participants from upper secondary education who completed a Scale for the Detection of Suicidal Ideation in Young People and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation that evaluate emotional dysregulation, suicidal ideation and psychological constructs. Study 2 is a longitudinal comparative study of 85 teenaged participants of the original 109. Results. Differences were found for the psychological construct of emotional disorders, where young women obtained a higher average than young men (p < .05). The psychological constructs of emotional disorders, hopelessness, attitudes and beliefs, and impulsiveness, as well as suicidal ideation and emotional dysregulation remained stable over two years. Discussion and conclusion. Emotional regulation as a psychological resource would foster flexibility, tolerance and acceptance in preventing the intensity of psychological distress.

Using electronic health record data to predict future self-harm or suicidal ideation in young people treated by child and youth mental health services.

Identifying young people who are at risk of self-harm or suicidal ideation (SHoSI) is a priority for mental health clinicians. We explore the utility of routinely collected data in developing a tool to aid early identification of those at risk. We used electronic health records of 4610 young people aged 5-19 years who were treated by Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS) in greater Brisbane, Australia. Two Lasso models were trained to predict the risk of future SHoSI in young people currently rated SHoSI; and those who were not. For currently non-SHoSI children, an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUC) of 0.78 was achieved. Those with the highest risk were 4.97 (CI 4.35-5.66) times more likely to be categorized as SHoSI in the future. For current SHoSI children, the AUC was 0.62. A prediction model with fair overall predictive power for currently non-SHoSI children was generated. Predicting persistence for SHoSI was more difficult. The electronic health records alone were not sufficient to discriminate at acceptable levels and may require adding unstructured data such as clinical notes. To optimally predict SHoSI models need to be tested and validated separately for those young people with varying degrees of risk.

Promoting Engagement With Smartphone Apps for Suicidal Ideation in Young People: Development of an Adjunctive Strategy Using a Lived Experience Participatory Design Approach.

Suicide among young people is a worrying public health concern. Despite this, there is a lack of suitable interventions aligned with the needs of this priority population. Emerging evidence supports the effectiveness of digital interventions in alleviating the severity of suicidal thoughts. However, their efficacy may be undermined by poor engagement. Technology-supported strategies (eg, electronic prompts and reminders) have been deployed alongside digital interventions to increase engagement with the latter. However, evidence of their efficacy is inconclusive. User-centered design approaches may be key to developing feasible and effective engagement strategies. Currently, no study has been published on how such an approach might be expressly applied toward developing strategies for promoting engagement with digital interventions. This study aimed to detail the processes and activities involved in developing an adjunctive strategy for promoting engagement with LifeBuoy-a smartphone app that helps young people manage suicidal thoughts. Development of the engagement strategy took place in 2 phases. The discovery phase aimed to create an initial prototype by synthesizing earlier findings-from 2 systematic reviews and a cross-sectional survey of the broader mental health app user population-with qualitative insights from LifeBuoy users. A total of 16 web-based interviews were conducted with young people who participated in the LifeBuoy trial. Following the discovery phase, 3 interviewees were invited by the research team to take part in the workshops in the design phase, which sought to create a final prototype by making iterative improvements to the initial prototype. These improvements were conducted over 2 workshops. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data obtained from the interviews and workshops. Main themes from the interviews centered around the characteristics of the strategy, timing of notifications, and suitability of social media platforms. Subsequently, themes that emerged from the design workshops emphasized having a wider variety of content, greater visual consistency with LifeBuoy, and a component with more detailed information to cater to users with greater informational needs. Thus, refinements to the prototype were focused on (1) improving the succinctness, variety, and practical value of Instagram content, (2) creating a blog containing articles contributed by mental health professionals and young people with lived experience of suicide, and (3) standardizing the use of marine-themed color palettes across the Instagram and blog components. This is the first study to describe the development of a technology-supported adjunctive strategy for promoting engagement with a digital intervention. It was developed by integrating perspectives from end users with lived experience of suicide with evidence from the existing literature. The development process documented in this study may be useful for guiding similar projects aimed at supporting the use of digital interventions for suicide prevention or mental health.

Assessing Trends and Risk Factors of Suicidal Ideation in Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Quarterly Monitoring in The Netherlands.

Introduction:The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted populations internationally, through infections and consequences of infections, and by the countermeasures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Concerns exist surrounding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of youths in the Netherlands. Consequently, we studied quarterly trends and risk factors of suicidal ideation among Dutch youths from September 2021 onwards.Method:The Network GOR-COVID-19, a research group consisting of different organizations, monitors the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on population health. As one element of this monitoring, quarterly data collections have been undertaken since September 2021 from a panel of youths (12 – 25 years of age) representative of the Dutch population. Online questionnaires collect data on self-reported health and wellbeing. We analyzed a selection of demographic, social activity, and mental health variables as potential risk factors for self-reported suicidal ideation in the previous three months. We assessed trends, performed longitudinal analyses, and conducted logistic and random forest regressions per quarterly round of data collection. Analyses were weighted for age, sex, educational level, and province where appropriate.Results:Approximately 4,500 youths participated in each quarterly questionnaire, with some participating more than once. Results showed substantial increases in self-reported suicidal ideation during and immediately after the third lockdown in the Netherlands in December 2021, rising from 9% to 17%, then slowly decreasing to 16% in May/June 2022, and to 13% in September 2022. In all multivariable analyses variables relating to mental health were indicated as risk factors. The strongest associations were seen in those experiencing mental health complaints and loneliness. Demographic variables were not strongly associated with suicidal ideation.Conclusion:The monitoring conducted by The Network GOR-COVID-19 enables the tracking of trends in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Dutch youths in The Netherlands.

Anhedonia and suicidal ideation in young people with early psychosis: Further findings from the 2-year follow-up of the ReARMS program

Hedonic deficits have been extensively studied in schizophrenia, but little is known about their association with suicidal ideation in early psychosis. The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between anhedonia and suicidal thoughts across a 2-year follow-up period in people with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and at Ultra High Risk (UHR) of psychosis. Ninty-six UHR and 146 FEP, aged 13–35 years, completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The BDI-II “Anhedonia” subscale score to assess anhedonia and the CAARMS “Depression” item 7.2 subscore to measure depression were used across the 2 years of follow-up. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed. No difference in anhedonia scores between FEP and UHR individuals was found. In the FEP group, a significant enduring association between anhedonia and suicidal ideation was found at baseline and across the follow-up, independent of clinical depression. In the UHR subgroup, the enduring relationship between anhedonia and suicidal thoughts were not completely independent from depression severity. Anhedonia is relevant in predicting suicidal ideation in early psychosis. Specific pharmacological and/or psychosocial interventions on anhedonia within specialized EIP program could reduce suicide risk overtime.

Association of Perceived Stress with Gender and BMI in students appearing in University Entrance Examination

Background: Students have been found to report high levels of perceived stress in daily life. However, it exerts many effects on students’ health and outcome or output in examinations results. Aim: To determine the association of perceived stress with gender and body mass index (BMI) in students appearing in the university entrance examination. Methods: It is a cross-sectional study was done to find out the association between variables. The total sample size was 498 (401 Female and 88 male) pre-medical and pre-engineering students with a mean age of samples were 18 (SD=±0.83) years. The purposive sampling technique was used to collect the student’s data from aptitude training centers in Karachi from August to September 2021 by applying Sheldon Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Data was analyzed by using SPSS. Results: There was a moderate stress level of perceived stress in students. The perceived stress was significantly associated with gender (<0.01), while no significant association between stress and BMI (>0.45). Practical Implication: This study would be helpful for the parents and teachers to assess the mental health level (perceived stress) of their new generation, who are striving for a bright future. As to train them for positive coping with this stress and train them for dealing effectively with any worrisome circumstances effectively, as to prevent psychological distress and suicidal ideation in young people of society. Conclusion: In this study moderate stress was observed and perceived stress was significantly associated with gender in our study participants. Keywords: Coping, Perceived stress, perceived stress scale‑10, Students.

Predictors of suicidal ideation severity among treatment-seeking young people with major depressive disorder: The role of state and trait anxiety.

Depression and suicidal ideation are closely intertwined. Yet, among young people with depression, the specific factors that contribute to changes in suicidal ideation over time are uncertain. Factors other than depressive symptom severity, such as comorbid psychopathology and personality traits, might be important contributors. Our aim was to identify contributors to fluctuations in suicidal ideation severity over a 12-week period in young people with major depressive disorder receiving cognitive behavioural therapy. Data were drawn from two 12-week randomised, placebo-controlled treatment trials. Participants (N = 283) were 15-25 years old, with moderate to severe major depressive disorder. The primary outcome measure was the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, administered at baseline and weeks 4, 8 and 12. A series of linear mixed models was conducted to examine the relationship between Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire score and demographic characteristics, comorbid psychopathology, personality traits and alcohol use. Depression and anxiety symptom severity, and trait anxiety, independently predicted higher suicidal ideation, after adjusting for the effects of time, demographics, affective instability, non-suicidal self-injury and alcohol use. Both state and trait anxiety are important longitudinal correlates of suicidal ideation in depressed young people receiving cognitive behavioural therapy, independent of depression severity. Reducing acute psychological distress, through reducing depression and anxiety symptom severity, is important, but interventions aimed at treating trait anxiety could also potentially be an effective intervention approach for suicidal ideation in young people with depression.

Elevated cognitive rumination and adverse life events are associated with lower cortical surface area and suicidal ideation in adolescents with major depressive disorder

IntroductionSuicide is the second most common cause of death among young people. Structural brain alterations, rumination, and recent stressful experiences contribute to suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). MethodsHere, we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the unique and combined relationships of these risk factors with STBs in a sample of young people with major depressive disorder (MDD) from the Magnetic Resonance-Improving Mood with Psychoanalytic and Cognitive Therapies (MR-IMPACT) study (N = 67, mean age = 15.90; standard deviation ± 1.32). ResultsWhereas increased rumination and lower surface area of brain regions, that have been previously reported to be involved in both STBs and rumination, were associated with each other (Beta = −0.268, standard error (SE) = 0.114, Z = −2.346, p = 0.019), only increased rumination was related to greater severity of suicidal ideation (Beta = 0.281, SE = 0.132, Z = 2.134, p = 0.033). In addition, we observed that recent stress was associated with lower surface area in the suicidal ideation model without covariate only (Beta = −0.312, SE = 0.149, Z = −2.089, p = 0.037). For the attempt models, no associations were found between any of the risk factors and suicide attempts. LimitationsWe emphasize that these findings from this secondary analysis are hypothesis-forming and preliminary in nature given the small sample size for SEM analyses. ConclusionOur findings suggest that neither lower surface area nor recent stress are directly associated with youth suicidal ideation or attempt. However, lower surface area is related to recent stress and increased rumination, which predicted greater severity of suicidal ideation in young people with MDD.

Assessing Suicidal Ideation in Young People With Depression: Factor Structure of the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire.

Evaluating suicidal ideation in young people seeking mental health treatment is an important component of clinical assessment and treatment planning. To reduce the burden of youth suicide, we need to improve our understanding of suicidal ideation, its underlying constructs, and how ideation translates into suicidal behaviour. Using exploratory factor analysis, we investigated the dimensionality of the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) among 273 participants aged 15-25 with Major Depressive Disorder. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis was used to explore associations between latent factors and actual suicidal behaviour. Findings suggested that the SIQ assesses multiple factors underlying suicidal ideation. AUROC analyses demonstrated that latent factors relating to both active and passive suicidal ideation predicted past-month suicidal behaviour and suicide attempt. These findings contribute to an improved understanding of the complexities of suicidal ideation and relationships with suicidal behaviour in young people with depression.

Temporal exploration of the interpersonal theory of suicide among adolescents during treatment.

The interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS) predicts perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and hopelessness lead to suicidal ideation and recommends burdensomeness and belongingness should be the targets of treatment. Limited research has tested if burdensomeness and belongingness temporally predict suicidal ideation during treatment. This study examined the bidirectional relationships between burdensomeness, belongingness, hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation in young people seeking treatment for suicide-related behaviors. A sample of 638 Australian young people (69.3% females, Mage = 16.61 [SD = 2.99]) completed measures of burdensomeness, belongingness, hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation at each session of treatment (Msessions = 5.24 [SD = 2.16]). A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model examined the within-person direction of effects across the first five occasions of treatment. Autoregressive paths showed hopelessness had carryover effects across all time points. All other variables had carryover effects at four time points. Cross-lagged paths varied, with suicidal ideation predicting depression, burdensomeness, and hopelessness. Belongingness, burdensomeness, and hopelessness predicted suicidal ideation on one occasion. Hopelessness predicted burdensomeness and depression at three time points and predicted belongingness on one occasion. Results are partially consistent with the ITS, but in contrast to the theory, the most consistent predictor of suicidal ideation was prior suicidal ideation. Prior levels of hopelessness, belongingness, and burdensomeness did influence suicidal ideation at some time points, but the most consistent effects were from hopelessness toward burdensomeness. Theoretical and treatment implications for these findings are discussed, particularly the need to directly address hopelessness in treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Three-arm randomised controlled trial of an m-health app and digital engagement strategy for improving treatment adherence and reducing suicidal ideation in young people: study protocol

IntroductionYouth suicidal ideation and behaviour is concerning due to its widespread prevalence, morbidity and potentially fatal consequences. Digital mental health interventions have been found to improve access to low-cost and...

Integrative Model of Suicidal Ideation in Young People

Suicide is the second most common cause of death among youths and young adults. Approximately 11% of young people report having suicidal ideation, which have been linked to cognitive deficits, stressful experiences during childhood and altered structural brain measures. However, it is not well understood of how these risk factors are interrelated with each other. Here, we examined whether rumination, stressful childhood events and altered structural brain measures predict severity of suicidal ideation in young people with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Relationships Between Different Dimensions of Social Support and Suicidal Ideation in Young People with Major Depressive Disorder

BackgroundSuicidal ideation (SI) is a common feature of depression and is closely associated with suicidal behaviour. Social support is implicated as an important determinant of suicide, but it is unclear how different social support dimensions influence SI in young people with depression. This study examines relationships between social support dimensions and SI in young people with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods283 Australians aged 15-25, diagnosed with MDD, were recruited from two clinical trials conducted in youth-specific outpatient mental health services. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to evaluate perceived support from Family, Friends, and a Significant Other. Suicidal ideation was assessed using the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ). Hierarchical regression was used to explore associations between social support and SI, controlling for demographics and depression severity. ResultsA hierarchical regression model predicted 9% of the variability in SI, with depression severity being the most significant predictor. Family Support was inversely related to SI and uniquely contributed 2% of the variance; β = -0.15 (95% CI -0.27 – -0.02) p < .05. Demographics and support from Friends or a Significant Other were not significantly associated with SI. LimitationsFindings are correlational; it cannot be determined that increasing family support would decrease SI severity. ConclusionPerceived Family Support was negatively associated with SI in young people with MDD. This suggests that family members might play important roles in suicide prevention efforts. More work is needed exploring ways to empower families to develop adaptive family functioning and support.

Prediction of suicidal ideation in young people from the analysis of texts in social networks written in Mexican spanish: a review of the state of the art

Suicide prevention is one of the great issues of the current era. Institutions such as the World Health Organization, have continued to search for all possible alternatives for early detection and timely prevention. Suicide rates have grown more and more in the world, and Mexico, although it is not the country with the most suicides, is one of the countries with the highest growth in recent years. At present, the use of social networks has generated great changes in the way we communicate. Expressing yourself through a social network begins to be more common than expressing ourselves to human beings. Several studies, which will be presented later, show that it is possible to determine from the content of social networks: cases of depression, risk of suicide, and other mental problems. The use of technological tools, such as Natural Language Processing, has served as an effective ally for the early detection of risks, such as abuse, bullying or even detecting emotional problems. The present research seeks to carry out an in-depth analysis in the state of the art of the application of Natural Language Processing as an ally for the detection of suicide risk from the analysis of texts for Mexican Spanish in Social Networks.

Insomnia and Nightmares as Markers of Risk for Suicidal Ideation in Young People: Investigating the Role of Defeat and Entrapment.

Although converging evidence has identified sleep problems as robust predictors of suicidal ideation in young people, the psychological processes driving these associations are not yet known. The current study aimed to test predictions, informed by the Integrated Motivational-Volitional (IMV) Model of Suicidal Behavior, concerning the role of feelings of defeat and entrapment within the sleep-suicide relationship. Volunteers aged 15 to 17 years (n = 1,045) from Scottish secondary schools completed an anonymous self-report survey assessing insomnia symptoms, nightmares, suicidal ideation, depressive symptomology, and feelings of defeat and entrapment. Both insomnia symptoms and nightmares were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting suicidal ideation (independent of depression). Perceptions of both defeat and entrapment were elevated in young people who reported clinically salient insomnia and/or nightmares, relative to those who did not. The relationship between insomnia and suicidal ideation was fully mediated by perceptions of defeat and entrapment, whereas nightmares were indirectly associated with suicidal ideation through perceptions of defeat and entrapment. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the psychological mechanisms linking sleep disturbance and suicidality by highlighting the role of defeat and entrapment. Clinically, these findings have the potential to improve suicide risk assessment and prevention in young people experiencing difficulties with their sleep.

Early signs of worry: Psychosis risk symptom visual distortions are independently associated with suicidal ideation

Previous studies have shown an association between suicidal behavior and schizophrenia. However, little is known about this association in those with psychotic experiences and symptoms that do not meet the criteria for full psychosis. The aim of the study was to investigate how psychosis risk symptoms are associated with suicidal ideation. Three-hundred and nine help-seeking adolescents (mean age 15.5 years) who were screened by an early intervention and detection team JERI in Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, were interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires of psychosis risk symptoms, suicidal ideation and depression. Psychosis risk symptoms were assessed by self-report and confirmed by interview with questions from PROD-screen, depression was measured with BDI-II questionnaire and suicidal ideation was derived from BDI-II questionnaire. In a logistic regression analysis psychosis risk symptom visual distortions explained independently (OR 4.33; 95% CI 1.28–14.64) suicidal ideation when age, gender, depression and psychosis risk symptoms thought disorders, persecuting feelings and auditory distortions were controlled for. Results suggest that visual distortions are independently associated with suicidal ideation in young people. This finding should be taken into account in assessing help-seeking adolescents.

Development of practice principles for the management of ongoing suicidal ideation in young people diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Objectives:There is a lack of clear guidance regarding the management of ongoing suicidality in young people experiencing major depressive disorder. This study utilised an expert consensus approach in identifying practice principles to complement relevant clinical guidelines for the treatment of major depressive disorder in young people. The study also sought to outline a broad treatment framework for clinical intervention with young people experiencing ongoing suicidal ideation.Methods:In-depth focus groups were undertaken with a specialist multidisciplinary clinical team (the Youth Mood Clinic at Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program, Melbourne) working with young people aged 15–25 years experiencing ongoing suicidal ideation. Each focus group was audio recorded and transcribed verbatim using orthographic conventions. Principles of grounded theory and thematic analysis were used to analyse and code the resultant data.Results:The identified codes were subsequently synthesised into eight practice principles reflecting engagement and consistency of care, ongoing risk assessment and documentation, individualised crisis planning, engaging systems of support, engendering hopefulness, development of adaptive coping, management of acute risk, and consultation and supervision.Conclusions:The identified practice principles provide a broad management framework, and may assist to improve treatment consistency and clinical management of young people experiencing ongoing suicidal ideation. The practice principles may be of use to health professionals working within a team-based setting involved in the provision of care, even if peripherally, to young people with ongoing suicidal ideation. Findings address the lack of treatment consistency and shared terminology and may provide containment and guidance to multidisciplinary clinicians working with this at-risk group.

Factors Influencing Suicidal Ideation in People with Mental Disorder

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate factors influencing suicidal ideation in people with mental disorder. Methods: The subjects were 176 people with mental disorder from community mental health centers, social rehabilitation facilities, and university hospital psychiatric outpatient departments. The instruments used included a suicidal ideation questionnaire, a self-esteem scale, a spiritual well-being scale, a family support scale, and a professional support scale. Data were analyzed with t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Suicidal ideation was influenced by age, history of suicidal attempts, and existential spiritual well-being. This study shows that suicidal ideation has negative correlation with existential spiritual well-being, self-esteem, family support, and age. Existential spiritual well-being, history of suicidal attempts, and age accounted for 30% regarding suicidal ideation in people with mental disorder. Conclusion: The lower existential spiritual well-being and age, the higher suicidal ideation. And also suicidal ideation was higher in people who had attempted suicide than in those who had not. Based on the outcomes of this study, it is necessary to design an intervention program that emphasizes existential spiritual well-being in order to decrease suicidal ideation in young people with mental disorder.

Training general practitioners to recognise and respond to psychological distress and suicidal ideation in young people.

To determine the effectiveness of a training program for general practitioners in recognising and responding to psychological distress and suicidal ideation in young people. The study, conducted in general practice surgeries in Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia in 1996 and 1997, used a pre-/posttest design to audit consecutive young patients presenting in the six weeks before and the six weeks after the GPs' participation in the training program. Consisted of 23 GPs who attended a youth suicide prevention workshop and 423 patients aged 15-24 years who presented to the GPs' surgeries (203 pre-workshop and 220 post-workshop). GPs attended a one-day training workshop designed to enhance their ability to recognise, assess and manage young patients at risk of suicide. Scores on three patient self-report inventories (General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12], Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale [CES-D] and Depressive Symptom Inventory--Suicidality Subscale [DSI-SS]); a GP-completed form for each patient summarising presenting complaint(s), psychological assessment and proposed management plan. After training, GPs demonstrated increased recognition rates of psychologically distressed patients scoring above the cut-offs of the GHQ-12 (48% increase; odds ratio [OR], 1.748; 95% CI, 0.904-03.381) and CES-D (39.5% increase; OR, 2.067; 95% CI, 1.031-4.143); enquiry about suicidal ideation increased by 32.5% (OR, 1.483; 95% CI, 0.929-2.366); and identification of suicidal patients (determined by DSI-SS score) increased by 130% (OR, 3.949; 95% CI, 1.577-9.888). Training did not lead to any significant change in GPs' patient management strategies. A one-day training course can significantly enhance GP detection rates of psychological distress and suicidal ideation in young patients, but higher recognition rates do not necessarily lead to changes in patient management.