title: Construct development: The Suicide Trigger Scale (STS-2), a measure of a hypothesized suicide trigger state.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aims to develop the construct of a 'suicide trigger state' by exploring data gathered with a novel psychometric self-report instrument, the STS-2.
  
  
  METHODS
  The STS-2, was administered to 141 adult psychiatric patients with suicidal ideation. Multiple statistical methods were used to explore construct validity and structure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cronbach's alpha (0.949) demonstrated excellent internal consistency. Factor analyses yielded two-component solutions with good agreement. The first component described near-psychotic somatization and ruminative flooding, while the second described frantic hopelessness. ROC analysis determined an optimal cut score for a history of suicide attempt, with significance of p < 0.03. Logistic regression analysis found items sensitive to history of suicide attempt described ruminative flooding, doom, hopelessness, entrapment and dread.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The STS-2 appears to measure a distinct and novel clinical entity, which we speculatively term the 'suicide trigger state.' High scores on the STS-2 associate with reported history of past suicide attempt.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. zsyaseen@gmail.com
authors.forename: Zimri
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yaseen
authors.forename: Curren
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Igor I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Galynker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires