title: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, and Drivers of Suicide: What Are They, How Do They Differ, and Why Does It Matter?
abstract: Research investigating suicide attempts and deaths by suicide has yielded many specific risk factors and warning signs for future suicidal behaviors. Yet, even though these variables are each valuable for suicide prevention efforts, they may be limited in their applicability to clinical practice. The differences among risk factors, warning signs, and "drivers," which are person-specific variables that lead individuals to desire death by suicide, are highlighted. The scarce evidence on drivers is described and specific recommendations for conducting future drivers-focused research and targeting them in clinical practice are suggested.
authors: Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
authors: Raymond P
authors: RP
authors: Tucker
authors: Capital Institute for Cognitive Therapy, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Kevin J
authors: KJ
authors: Crowley
authors: Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors: Collin L
authors: CL
authors: Davidson
authors: VA VISN 19 MIRECC, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors: Peter M
authors: PM
authors: Gutierrez
mesh_terms: D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004328:Drive; D004644:Emotions; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D011580:Psychological Techniques; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention