Asking adolescents to explain discrepancies in self-reported suicidality.
We present a typology of adolescents' most common explanations for discrepant reporting of suicidal behavior. Forty-eight adolescents provided attempt histories by completing a self-report measure of suicidality. A select number of items were subsequently readministered (average interval = 5 days) using a semistructured interview format. Discrepancies in reporting were found among 50% of the sample. Adolescents were also asked to clarify, using an open-ended format, what might have accounted for a particular discrepancy. Based on these responses, seven mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories were derived. High rates of interrater agreement indicated that these categories were reliable.
Velting
D M
DM
Department of Psychological Science, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0520, USA. dvelting@gw.bsu.edu
Rathus
J H
JH
Asnis
G M
GM
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000145:classification*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention