Abstract:
Objective: To compare the severity of cognitive, affective and somatic symptoms of depression between two samples of
medical students with high and low suicidal ideation using Beck Depression Inventory
Study Design and Setting: This is a cross sectional study conducted in public and private medical colleges in Karachi
from September-December 2018.
Methodology: A total of 150 normal healthy students with 75 each from public and private medical colleges in Karachi
were sampled through purposive sampling technique. Beck depression inventory (BDI) with twenty one items for depressive
symptoms was used. Suicidal ideation was assessed using item 9 of BDI and participants were identified as having high
and low suicidal ideation. Remaining twenty items of BDI were categorized as affective, cognitive and somatic symptoms
of depression. Severity of each symptom was assessed through BDI score on a 4-point scale. Hypothesis testing for difference
in BDI scores of depressive symptoms between high and low suicidal ideation cases was performed through independent
sample t tests.
Result: BDI showed significantly higher suicidal ideation in public medical colleges’ students. Cases with high suicidal
ideation showed higher prevalence of five cognitive (past failure, feeling guilty, self-image, feeling of being punished,
crying spells), four affective (sadness, irritability, decision making, self-dislike) and one somatic (physical health) symptoms
of depression.
Conclusion: Significant higher prevalence of affective and cognitive symptoms of depression was found among cases
of higher suicidal ideation
