title: Assessing suicidal ideation in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The majority of individuals with schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses have had suicidal ideation at some point during the illness. However, little is known about the variation in level and intensity of suicidal ideation and symptoms in the attenuated stage of psychotic illness. Our aims were to assess prevalence of suicidal ideation in this at risk group, and to examine the severity and intensity of suicidal ideation, and their relation to symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suicidal ideation was assessed in 42 clinical high-risk participants using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). We hypothesized that prevalence rates would be similar to what was found in previous studies, and individuals with suicidal ideation would have higher positive and negative symptoms, with poorer functioning. We assessed levels of severity and intensity of suicidal ideation related to these symptoms, and examined how depressive symptoms affected these relationships.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly half (42.9%) of participants reported having current suicidal ideation. We found no relationship to positive symptoms. However, severity and intensity of suicidal ideation were found to be related to negative symptoms and level of functioning. When controlling for depressive symptoms during exploratory analysis, this relationship still emerged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study adds to the literature demonstrating the complex nature of suicidal ideation in psychotic illness. The C-SSRS has shown to be helpful in determining relationships between severity and intensity in suicidal ideation in relation to specific symptoms in a research setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychology at The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: kegill13@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: S Lucy
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Poe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Alvaro D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brucato
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Cheryl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Ragy R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Girgis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinical high risk; Functioning; Psychosis; Schizophrenia; Suicidal ideation