Citation

Pompili M, Lester D, Leenaars AA, Tatarelli R, Girardi P. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2008; 38(1): 116-121.

Affiliation

Sant' Andrea Hospital, Rome, Department of Psychiatry, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1521/suli.2008.38.1.116

PMID

18355113

Abstract

Shneidman's Psychological Pain Assessment Scale (PPAS; 1999) was administered to 88 psychiatric patients. Both current and worst-ever psychache were significantly higher in those patients judged by a psychiatrist, on the basis of a structured clinical interview, to be at risk of suicide. However, current and worstever psychache were not associated with having attempted suicide in the past. Thus, for the present sample of psychiatric patients, the PPAS appears to be more sensitive to current suicidality than to past suicidality. Further, there are validity issues with the PPAS, with the need for multi-item measures and probably a multifactor measure.

Language: en