P-280 - Hopelessness and Self-esteem of Adolescents Refered to Mental Health Clinic in Prizren

Abstract

Introduction:

Hopelessness and self-esteem are evaluated to be linked with psychopathology.

Objectives:

To look for sensitivity of scales who measure these components as premise for use in clinical work.

Aims:

Measure the level of hopelessness and self-esteem of adolescents referred to clinic and the psychological difficulties;possible correlation with diagnosis, psychological difficulties and suicidality.

Methods:

Referred adolescents to the clinic have been offered to fill out Hopelessness scale for children, Rosenberg self-esteem scale and SDQ questionnaire. All data has been analyzed by SPSS 14.0.

Results:

In the sample of 57 adolescents we found 14 (24,6%) case with high level of hopelessness; 42 (73,7%) cases with low self-esteem and 17 (29,8%) cases with suicidal thinking/behavior. We didn't found any significant association with diagnose.with psychological difficulties based on SDQ (n = 53) resulted 16 (28,3%) cases.We found significant negative association (x² = 8.857,df = 1,N = 57, Fisher's exact test p < .007) between self-esteem and suicidality (suicidal cases have highest scores at self-esteem scale), where phi=−,394 indicates the strength of association to be medium. A Kruskal-Wallis Test revealed a statistically significant difference where higher hopelessness score correlate with higher means ranks of total difficulties, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity. the same link is with suicidality where we found higher hopelessness score in suicidal cases x² = 6.578, df = 2,N = 57, p < .037.

Conclusions:

Low self-esteem is much presented, but not associated with hopelessness and suicidality. High level of hopelessness and suicidality also are present nearly in third of sample and linked between. High level of hopelessness accompanies other psychological difficulties found (emotional, conduct, hyperactivity) but not with diagnose.