Does screening high school students for psychological distress, deliberate self-harm, or suicidal ideation cause distress–and is it acceptable? An Australian-based study

Background: Programs designed to detect students at risk of depression and suicidality have shown success (Shaffer et al., 2004). Aims: The current study sought to examine whether or not such a program was acceptable to participants and whether or not it caused distress. Methods: Participants were boys aged 14 to 16. Participants were assessed using an on-line questionnaire; acceptability was measured via postal questionnaire. Results: Of 272 participants, 31 (11.4%) were considered at-risk; 13 required ongoing support, 8 of whom had not previously sought help. Overall screening did not appear to cause significant undue distress, although some differences were evident between at-risk and not at-risk students. All participants found the program acceptable. Conclusions: When conducted carefully, early detection programs can be an effective and acceptable method of identifying at-risk adolescents.