INTRODUCTION
The health of the adolescents is of great importance for the future of societies. In this context,
the suicide rate is a sensitive measure of psychological and social state. As a consequence,
suicide has always been a topic of considerable interest in different geographical areas of the
world because an examination of the suicide rate, worldwide, of young adults may reveal
something of their well-being. Suicide remains such an enigma that the reasons for so many
adolescents and young adults choosing to take their own life are unclear. The first act of suicide
possibly happened before the beginning of written records. In order to explore the history of
suicide with any understanding, one must have some conception of the prevailing taboos and
attitudes toward this behavioural phenomenon. Traditionally, society's attitudes to suicide and
the suicidal act divulge a wide range between a coherent one of acceptance, an irrational one
of superstition and a hostile one of punishment. Realizing the gravity of the phenomenon of
suicidal behaviours, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified suicide as an
increasingly important area of public health, and has issued guidelines to member state in order
to develop and implement co-ordinated, comprehensive, national and international strategies
intended to halt this trend by the year 2000 (WHO, 1990). The number of suicides per 100,000
people was about 10.7 in 1998, according to the world Health Organisation.
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS
Adolescents: Both boys and girls in the age group of 15 to 18 years were included in the study.
Suicidal Ideation: Any self-reported thoughts of engaging in suicide-related behaviour.
Stressful life events: In the study it refers to events or changes that happened in the
adolescents' life and are perceived either positive or negative stress by the adolescents and it
includes events related to family and parents, school and classes, friends and social activities.
Suicidal Tendency- is the propensity for a person to have suicidal ideation or to make suicide
attempts. It may also refer to suicide, crisis, suicidal ideation, Para suicides, and failed suicide
attempt.
Suicidal Behaviour- includes suicidal planning, suicidal attempts and completed suicide.
Denotes to actions taken by one who is seeing or preparing to cause his/ her own death. Defined
as an obsession or act that is attentive on causing one's own death voluntarily,
