title: A Pilot Investigation of the Operationalized Predicaments of Suicide (OPS) Framework.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide may be conceptualized as an escape from intolerable predicaments, in particular, mental illness and environmental stressors. The operationalized predicaments of suicide (OPS) is a 4 category framework designed to assist in the classification of suicide. The objective was to examine whether this framework is potentially useful.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 psychiatrists from 6 different countries examined 12 written coroners' reports of suicide and rated each report according to the OPS. 16 of these raters then also completed a qualitative questionnaire regarding the framework.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 89.8% of cases the raters where able to make a decision regarding the drivers which led to the suicides. The respondents displayed modest inter-rater correlation (Kappa = 0.42; P < 0.0001). In the qualitative section, respondents supported the face validity of OPS and considered it potentially useful. Feedback allowed improved wording of the OPS instructions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The OPS has potential as a useful framework. The OPS instructions have been improved and further studies are justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 27, GPO Hobart, 7001, Tasmania.
authors.forename: Saxby
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pridmore
authors.forename: Pim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: Abdul Majeed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zainab
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Restifo
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Appleton
keywords: mental health; public health; social medicine; suicide