title: Psychache and suicide: a preliminary investigation.
abstract: Shneidman's Psychological Pain Assessment Scale (PPAS; 1999) was administered to 88 psychiatric patients. Both current and worst-ever psychache were significantly higher in those patients judged by a psychiatrist, on the basis of a structured clinical interview, to be at risk of suicide. However, current and worstever psychache were not associated with having attempted suicide in the past. Thus, for the present sample of psychiatric patients, the PPAS appears to be more sensitive to current suicidality than to past suicidality. Further, there are validity issues with the PPAS, with the need for multi-item measures and probably a multifactor measure.
authors: Sant' Andrea Hospital, Rome, Department of Psychiatry, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Pompili
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lester
authors: Antoon A
authors: AA
authors: Leenaars
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Tatarelli
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Girardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*