Citation

Berman AL, Silverman MM. Arch. Suicide Res. 2019; ePub(ePub): 1-11.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2019.1612804

PMID

31079577

Abstract

In this paper we examine the clinical relevance of protective factors to the assessment and formulation of near-term risk of death by suicide. Contrary to current clinical belief and practice we posit that there is no evidence-base to support these factors as mitigating or buffering risk for suicide for the individual patient, especially in the near-term assessment of that suicide risk. We show that evidence-based protective factors derive from population-based studies and, applicably, have relevance to public health promotion/primary prevention and are significant in informing treatment/secondary prevention; but lack evidence to support their often-proposed role in mitigating or buffering risk for suicide on an individual basis, especially when applied to the assessment of near-term risk of suicide. Accordingly, we argue for the need for empirical study of the role protective factors may or may not play in the formulation of a patient's risk for suicide and, in the interim, for clinical caution in assuming that protective factors have any significant buffering effect on a patient's level of near-term risk.

Language: en

Keywords

Near-Term Risk; Protective Factors; Suicide