Comparison of Cognitive-Affective Symptoms of Depression Between Cases of Low and High Suicidal Ideation in Medical Students

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