Children and adolescents with sensory impairments: problems of depression and suicidal risk

The literature data on the prevalence, the nature of depression and suicide rates in children and adolescents with sensory impairments are few and inconsistent, relate to groups small in size and based on different methodological approaches. However, given that even preclinical symptoms of depression can accompany the child or adolescent for a long period of time, exerting a destructive influence on communication with peers, education and other life spheres, it is necessary to identify the early symptoms of depression and suicidal behavior. Aim: to study the level of depression risk and suicide risk in students of specialized (corrective) boarding-schools with hearing and vision impairments. Materials: Continuous sampling of 368 7-18 years pupils of specialized boarding schools are interviewed. The sampling consisted of: 186 deaf and hard hearing-impaired children and adolescents and 182 partially sighted children and adolescents. Methods: clinical, psychological (Children's Depression Inventory M. Kovacs (СDI), an adapted questionnaire for identifying suicide risk), statistical. Results. Depressive disorders were detected in 3.5% of children in the context of adjustment disorders and depressive episode of mild and moderate degree. 20.8% of children have an increased and 3.1% have a high risk of depression, without significant differences between groups. The significant differences with the Mann-Whitney U criterion in the average score between the groups of pupils with hearing and vision impairment were identified on the scale «Anhedonia» (p=0.011). The level of suicidal risk was identified in adolescents aged 13-18 years with the help of the adapted questionnaire (64 visually impaired and 65 students with hearing impairments). Compared to hearing-impaired and deaf children, the visually impaired children were more often subject to suicidal thoughts (p=0.0002), depressed mood (p=0.00001), the feeling of loneliness. Troubled family relationship were found to play the most important role in the emergence of conflict situations of adolescents with signs of suicidal behavior. 19,4% of the studied group revealed average level of suicide risk 6,9% showed high level of suicidal risk. Conclusion. The identified group requires dynamic observation, repeated clinical and psychological examination and preventive measures.