Citation

Motto JA, Heilbron DC, Juster RP. Am. J. Psychiatry 1985; 142(6): 680-686.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

4003585

Abstract

This report details the development of an empirical suicide risk scale for adults hospitalized due to a depressive or suicidal state. The authors studied 2,753 such subjects prospectively regarding 101 psychosocial variables. In a 2-year follow-up, 136 (4.94%) of the subjects had committed suicide. Rigorous statistical analysis, including a validation procedure, identified 15 variables as significant predictors of suicidal outcome. These were translated into a paper-and-pencil scale that gives an estimated risk of suicide within 2 years. Such an instrument can provide a valuable supplement to clinical judgment and a quantitative expression of suicide risk.

Language: en