title: Psychometric evaluation of the Korean version of the Suicidal Ideation Scale in mentally ill patients living in the community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to translate the Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS) into Korean (SIS-K) and then evaluate its psychometric properties in mentally ill Korean patients living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SIS-K was translated into Korean using a translation and back-translation technique. A sample of 396 patients with mental disorders was recruited from regional mental health centres in Korea. Factorial-construct validity was tested using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The data were randomly split into two subsamples: one used for EFA to identify the underlying structure of the items, and the other used for CFA to test whether the underlying structure was supported by actual data. Convergent validity, known-groups validity and internal-consistency reliability were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exploratory factor analysis extracted nine items clustered into two subscales that accounted for 68.59% of the variance. One item ('I feel there is no solution to my problems other than taking my own life') was deleted. The structure of the two subscales was supported by CFA. The SIS-K score was moderately correlated with depression, and the scale demonstrated convergent validity. The SIS-K scores were significantly higher in patients who had attempted suicide, implying the presence of satisfactory known-groups validity. Cronbach's alpha of the total SIS-K was 0.91.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study has demonstrated the excellent psychometric properties of the SIS-K. The SIS-K is brief and easy to complete, and so it can be applied in both practice and research to patients with mental disorders. This cultural validation of the SIS-K will promote both domestic and international studies of suicidal ideation.
authors.affiliation: Gimpo Mental Health Center, Gimpo, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Sil
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Hyun
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Gimpo Mental Health Center, Gimpo, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tongwoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hyung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Korea; psychometric properties; reliability; suicidal ideation; translation; validity