Background and objectives: School students in India have a high stress level and high rate of deliberate self-harm. The present study was conducted to find out stress, psychological health, and presence of suicidal ideas in school students and to find out any correlation between these variables.
Setting and design: Cross-sectional study conducted on school students in urban area of Chandigarh city.
Materials and methods: Data was collected on 2402 students from classes VII to XII on socio-demographic scale, 12-item general health questionnaire, Mooney problem checklist, and suicide risk eleven -a visual analogue scale. Statistical analysis used was chi square and Spearman's correlation.
Results: Out of 2402 students, 1078 (45.8%) had psychological problems, half (1201 students) perceived problems in their role as students, 930 (45%) reported academic decline, 180 (8.82%) students reported that life was a burden, 122 (6%) reported suicidal ideas and 8 (0.39%) students reported suicidal attempt. There was significant correlation between student's perception of life as a burden and class they were studying, mother's working status, psychological problems and problems students experienced in relation to study, peers, future planning and with parents.
Conclusions: Students with academic problems and unsupportive environment at home perceived life as a burden and had higher rates of suicidal ideations.