Citation

Ploderl M, Kralovec K, Yazdi K, Fartacek R. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2011; 41(1): 1-5.

Affiliation

Martin Plöderl, Karl Kralovec, and Reinhold Fartacek, Suicide Prevention Research Program, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg; Kurosch Yazdi, Landesnervenklinik Wagner-Jauregg, Linz, Austria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2010.00005.x

PMID

21309818

Abstract

The validity of self-reported suicide attempt information is undermined by false positives (e.g., incidences without intent to die), or by unreported suicide attempts, referred to as false negatives. In a sample of 1,385 Austrian adults, we explored the occurrence of false positives and false negatives with detailed, probing questions. Removing false positives decreased the rate of suicide attempters from 4.3% to 2.7%. Probing questions also revealed 0.8% false negatives. We recommend using probing questions with both those who report a suicide attempt and those who do not report a suicide attempt to increase the validity of self-reported suicide-related information.

Language: en