Camouflaged Pain: Adolescent Mental Distress Interwoven with Age and Gender Expectations”

Abstract

This study investigates the frequency, severity, and patterns of suicidal thoughts among teenagers in Peshawar, focusing on age and gender disparities. A cross-sectional design was used using a sample of 200 teenagers (100 men and 100 females) aged 15 to 21 years recruited from different educational institutions. The Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation (MSSI) was used to determine the intensity and frequency of suicidal thoughts. SPSS was used to analyse the data, which included t-tests, chi-square, and two-way ANOVA. The results showed no significant difference in total suicide thoughts between males and females, although gender-specific patterns developed. Male adolescents aged 15–17 had considerably higher ideation than older men, while older female adolescents (18–21) had much higher ideation than their younger peers. A strong interaction impact of age and gender on suicidal thoughts was discovered. Intense suicide thoughts were more common in boys, but severe suicidal planning was more prevalent in girls. These findings emphasize the complex interplay of developmental stage and gender in determining adolescent suicidality, as well as the importance of age- and gender-sensitive preventive interventions in Pakistan's educational and mental health contexts.