Assessment of psychiatrically hospitalized suicidal adolescents: self-report instruments as predictors of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
OBJECTIVE
The validity and clinical utility of the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior, and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were examined longitudinally among suicidal adolescents.


METHODS
Between 1998 and 2000, 289 psychiatrically hospitalized, suicidal youth, ages 12 to 17 years, participated in this study. Self-report measures were completed at baseline. Clinician-rated suicidality and suicide attempt were collected at baseline and 6-month follow-up.


RESULTS
Baseline self-reports were internally consistent and strongly intercorrelated within male, female, white, and black subsamples. All of the measures predicted follow-up suicidality and suicide attempts. Using published cutoff scores, the Beck Hopelessness Scale and SPS were moderately to highly sensitive predictors of subsequent suicide attempts, as was the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Junior for predicting suicide attempts and broad suicidality. Alternative cutoff scores that predicted outcomes with moderate and high sensitivity also were examined, with attention to resultant sacrifices in specificity.


CONCLUSIONS
Baseline self-report scores predicted follow-up suicidality. SPS contributed uniquely to prediction of future suicidality and suicide attempt. SPS may supplement other sources of information when assessing suicide risk with this population.
Huth-Bocks
Alissa C
AC
Dr. Huth-Bocks is with the Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. Dr. Kerr is with Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene. Ms. Ivey (Department of Psychology), Ms. Kramer (Department of Psychiatry), and Dr. King (Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry) are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Kerr
David C R
DCR
Dr. Huth-Bocks is with the Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. Dr. Kerr is with Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene. Ms. Ivey (Department of Psychology), Ms. Kramer (Department of Psychiatry), and Dr. King (Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry) are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Ivey
Asha Z
AZ
Dr. Huth-Bocks is with the Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. Dr. Kerr is with Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene. Ms. Ivey (Department of Psychology), Ms. Kramer (Department of Psychiatry), and Dr. King (Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry) are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Kramer
Anne C
AC
Dr. Huth-Bocks is with the Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. Dr. Kerr is with Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene. Ms. Ivey (Department of Psychology), Ms. Kramer (Department of Psychiatry), and Dr. King (Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry) are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
King
Cheryl A
CA
Dr. Huth-Bocks is with the Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. Dr. Kerr is with Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene. Ms. Ivey (Department of Psychology), Ms. Kramer (Department of Psychiatry), and Dr. King (Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry) are with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Electronic address: kingca@umich.edu.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking