Investigating the psychometric properties of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS) among community-residing older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the psychometric properties of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS) among community-residing older adults.


METHODS
We recruited 173 voluntary participants, 65 years and older, into a 2+ year longitudinal study of the onset or exacerbation of depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. We assessed the internal consistency of the GSIS and its four component subscales, and its shorter and longer duration test-retest reliability, convergent (depression, social hopelessness, and loneliness), divergent (psychological well-being, life satisfaction, perceived social support, and self-rated health), discriminant (basic and instrumental activities of daily living and social desirability), criterion (history of suicide behavior), and predictive validity (future suicide ideation).


RESULTS
The GSIS demonstrated strong test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Baseline GSIS scores were significantly positively associated with suicide risk factors, negatively associated with potential resiliency factors, and not associated with functional impairment or social desirability. GSIS scores significantly differentiated between participants with as compared to those without a history of suicide behavior. Baseline GSIS scores significantly predicted suicide ideation at a 2+ year follow-up assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest strong measurement characteristics for the GSIS with community-residing older adults, including impressive consistency over time. These results are consistent with research attesting to the empirical and pragmatic strengths of this measure. These findings have implications for the monitoring of suicide risk when aiming to enhance mental health and well-being and prevent suicide in later life.
a Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada.|b Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry , The University of Western Ontario , London , Canada.|c Lawson Health Research Institute , London , Canada.|d Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry , University of Rochester Medical Center , Rochester , NY , USA.
Marnin J
MJ
Heisel
e Department of Psychology , York University , Toronto , Canada.
Gordon L
GL
Flett
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS); death ideation; geropsychology; meaning in life; older adults; psychological resiliency; psychometrics; risk assessment; suicide ideation