title: Screening for depression and suicide: self-report instruments that work.
abstract: Self-report instruments for depression and suicide risk can help busy clinicians identify adult clients who may be at risk for depressive disorders. These instruments provide a baseline measure of clients' behavioral status, reflect response to treatment, and improve clinical decision making. Such scales can also detect symptoms of depression regardless of whether they are reported or observed. Clinicians' recognition of depression is improved when self-report screening tools are used. When it is not feasible to conduct a thorough psychiatric evaluation, screening instruments can identify at-risk clients who need further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veteran Affairs, Los Angeles, USA. sharon.valente@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saunders
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000451:nursing*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention