title: Using the suicide risk screen to identify suicidal adolescents among potential high school dropouts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the validity of the Suicide Risk Screen (SRS) for identifying suicide-risk youths among potential high school dropouts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred eighty-one potential dropouts, aged 14 to 20 years, participated in a 3-stage case identification protocol. A potential dropout pool was created in 7 schools; students, randomly selected, completed a questionnaire containing the SRS and participated in an assessment interview. Validity measures included Reynolds' Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ-JR) and 2 clinician rating scales, the Direct Suicide Risk (DSR) and Clinical Risk Assessment (CRA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suicide-risk severity was significantly associated with categorization defined by the SRS criteria. SRS sensitivity ranged from 87% to 100%, specificity from 54% to 60%. Of 7 SRS elements, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide threats predicted all validity measures. Suicide attempts predicted the DSR and CRA, but not Reynolds' SIQ-JR. Drug involvement, though relatively weaker, consistently predicted all validity measures. No additional psychosocial indicators improved the prediction of SIQ-JR or the DSR. Family support, likelihood of dropout, and risky behaviors, however, were additional predictors of the CRA ratings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SRS is an effective and pragmatic method for identifying suicide-risk youths among potential dropouts in school settings.
authors.affiliation: Reconnecting Youth Prevention Research Program, University of Washington School of Nursing, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Eggert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires