Factor Structure of Beck's Suicide Intent Scales

1977 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Wetzel

Data obtained from 48 suicide attempters and 56 suicide threateners on three of Beck's suicide intent scales were factor analyzed. The scale, attempt suicide intent, yielded four orthogonal factors reflecting seriousness of intent, lethality of the act, precautions against interference and failure to initiate rescue after the attempt. The current scale of suicidal intent yielded four factors, bur one, the still suicidal factor, accounted for 44% of the variance. The suicide ideators scale yielded a general factor, called specificity of planning, accounting for more than half the variation. Factor scores were computed and correlated with diagnostic groupings. Character disordered subjects were more likely to report both more serious intent at time of suicide attempt and at interview than other attempters.

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey Freedenthal

Assessing a person's intent to die in a suicide attempt is crucial for risk assessment and research, yet suicidal intent is notoriously difficult to measure. People who intended to die when they hurt themselves may deny it, and others may feign intent for secondary gain. Additionally, ambivalence, memory gaps, impulsivity, and fluidity of intent can hinder accurate assessment of intent. Circumstantial evidence, such as a suicide note, may illuminate true intentions but also has substantial limitations. This article summarizes disparate challenges to the measurement of suicidal intent; describes strengths and weaknesses of circumstantial indicators; reviews evidence from studies using the Suicide Intent Scale to show that subjective and circumstantial indicators do not strongly correlate with each other; and concludes with a call to place more trust in individuals whose disclosures of suicidal intent are questionable, even if the possibility for manipulation exists.


Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 303-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bas Verwey ◽  
Jeroen A. van Waarde ◽  
Molla A. Bozdağ ◽  
Iris van Rooij ◽  
Edwin de Beurs ◽  
...  

Background: Assessment of suicide attempters in a general hospital may be influenced by the condition of the patient and the unfavorable circumstances of the hospital environment. Aims: To determine whether the results of a reassessment at home shortly after discharge from hospital differ from the initial assessment in the hospital. Methods: In this prospective study, systematic assessment of 52 suicide attempters in a general hospital was compared with reassessment at home, shortly after discharge. Results: Reassessments at home concerning suicide intent, motives for suicide attempt, and dimensions of psychopathology did not differ significantly from the initial hospital assessment. However, patients’ motives for the suicide attempt had changed to being less impulsive and more suicidal, worrying was significantly higher, and self-esteem was significantly lower. A third of the patients had forgotten their aftercare arrangements and most patients who initially felt no need for additional help had changed their mind at reassessment. Conclusions: Results from this group of suicide attempters suggest that a brief reassessment at home shortly after discharge from hospital should be considered.


Crisis ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osman Ozdel ◽  
Gulfizar Varma ◽  
Figen C. Atesci ◽  
Nalan K. Oguzhanoglu ◽  
Filiz Karadag ◽  
...  

Background: Suicidal behavior is one of the most important problems in psychiatric clinics. Several sociodemographic and clinical characteristics may have different effects on suicidal behavior. Aims: To examine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of a sample of 144 suicide attempters admitted to a Turkish emergency clinic for a suicide attempt. Methods: All subjects were interviewed by a consultant psychiatrist. For all individuals, data on DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses, sociodemographic data, Beck’s Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Becks’s Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS), and Beck’s Suicidal Intention Scale (BSIS) were collected. Results: The majority of suicide attempters were females characterized by low educational status and low religious orientation. Drug overdose was the most common method of suicide attempt and conflict within the family was the most fre uent psychological stress factor. Three- uarters of attempters (74.6%) met DSM-IV criteria for at least one psychiatric diagnosis. Of these, 28.5% met criteria for major depressive disorder. Suicide attempters with depression tended to be immigrant, urban dwellers with high scores on the suicide intent scale. Conclusions: In the present study, the findings are useful in showing the risk factors related to suicidal behavior.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Roberson ◽  
Tyler L Renshaw

The Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ) is a 16-item measure of school-specific subjective wellbeing. Previous studies have found evidence supporting the interpretation of scores as consisting of four domain-specific factors (i.e., joy of learning, academic efficacy, educational purpose, school connectedness) along with a domain-general factor (i.e., general student wellbeing). We extended previous work to scrutinize the SSWQ factor structure and score reliability by analyzing responses from a large sample (N = 1,020) of adolescents in grades 9-12. Using confirmatory factor analyses, we reevaluated the previously supported SSWQ structures and tested the tenability of alternate bifactor models. Additionally, we tested if scores derived from simple summing of SSWQ item ratings were practically equivalent to model-derived factor scores. Results provided partial support for the replication of data-model fit for SSWQ correlated-factors and higher-order models. Model convergence problems were noted when fitting all 16 items to a bifactor structure with the educational purpose items identified as the key source of misfit and dropped. The revised 12-item bifactor model showed strong fit and was retained as the new preferred SSWQ structure. Reliability indices for the general student wellbeing score were consistently strong yet reliability of subscale scores was significantly weaker. Correlation between the domain-general sum scores of the 12- and 16-item versions was very strong (r = .98), suggesting significant overlapping variance. The correlation between the 12-item sum score and model-based general factor score was also very strong (r = .97) but did not meet our threshold for practical equivalence. We recommend future researchers reevaluate the SSWQ item content and factor structure and use model-based factor scores for analyses when operating in a latent factor framework. Ultimately, we emphasize interpreting the SSWQ general score over the subscale scores to parse individual differences or make decisions regarding intervention allocation.


Author(s):  
Ramanujam G ◽  
Abdul Rahuman ◽  
R. Mahalakshmi

Background: This is a study aimed at assessing the prevalence of major depressive disorder among persons who attempted suicide.Methods: The study involved 30 persons above 18years of age of both sexes who has attempted suicide in the recent past. An informed consent was obtained from all of them. The prevalence of depression among those suicide attempters was studied based on major ICD- 10 depression inventory. Also, intent rating based on Beck’s suicide intent scale was done to assess the severity of suicide attempt. Questionnaire was given and the details were collected.Results: The prevalence of depression is estimated to be 20%. Regarding the suicidal intent, 13 cases (43.33%) showed high intent for suicide.Conclusions: Prevalence of depression is common among people who attempt suicide. Early diagnosis and intervention will reduce suicide attempts.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 536-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Hirvikoski ◽  
J. Jokinen

AbstractObjectiveThough widely used in clinical and biological studies, no investigation of the factor structure of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) has been performed in suicide attempters. There are very few studies of personality traits in suicide completers. The aim of the present study was to assess the factor structure of KSP in suicide attempters. A secondary aim was to examine whether the factor structure of the KSP was related to gender and/or to violent method of the suicide attempt or to suicide completion.MethodThe factor structure of the KSP was analysed in data from 165 suicide attempters from the Suicide Prevention Clinic at the Karolinska University Hospital using principal component analysis and orthogonal varimax rotation for the factor extraction. The effect of gender and (1) used method in the suicide attempt (violent versus nonviolent), and (2) later completed suicide on the factors was assessed in two separate series of the two-way ANOVAs.ResultA four-factor solution appeared: (1) Neuroticism, (2) Nonconformity, (3) Psychoticism and (4) Extraversion. Men who later completed suicide reported more Extroversion than male survivors.ConclusionThe obtained factor structure is comparable to a previous factor structure in a group of twins from the population-based Swedish Twin Registry indicating that no specific personality structure characterized the current sample. Differences in personality traits between suicide completers and survivors indicate that these groups may have some distinct characteristics.


1996 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
pp. 780-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian O'Donnell ◽  
Richard Farmer ◽  
José Catalán

BackgroundThere is a dearth of information on the motivational aspects of serious suicide attempts, in particular those which involve violent methods. Clarification of the reasons which lie behind such acts may suggest appropriate preventive strategies.MethodInterviews were carried out with 20 individuals who had attempted suicide by jumping in front of a railway train. Demographic and psychiatric data were collected for each case and the Suicidal Intent Scale was administered.ResultsIn most cases the act had been impulsive and was characterised by an extremely high level of suicidal intent. The majority were receiving psychiatric treatment at the time of their suicide attempt. In some cases, survival and the aftermath of the attempt appeared to have a beneficial effect on mental state.ConclusionsWhile high levels of psychiatric morbidity and high suicidal intent were common, impulsivity and improved mental state indicate that there are similarities between high and low suicide intent survivors.


Crisis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 367-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Sher ◽  
Michael F. Grunebaum ◽  
Ainsley K. Burke ◽  
Sadia Chaudhury ◽  
J. John Mann ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: There is compelling evidence that suicide attempts are among the strongest predictors of suicide and future suicide attempts. Aim: This study aimed to examine psychopathology in multiple-suicide attempters. Method: We compared the demographic and clinical features of three groups: depressed patients without a history of suicide attempts (non-attempters), depressed patients with a history of one to three suicide attempts (attempters), and depressed patients with a history of four or more suicide attempts (multiple attempters). Results: We found that attempters and multiple attempters had higher levels of depression, hopelessness, aggression, hostility, and impulsivity and were more likely to have borderline personality disorder and family history of major depression or alcohol use disorder compared with non-attempters, but did not differ between each other on these measures. Multiple attempters had greater suicidal ideation at study entry and were more likely to have family history of suicide attempt compared with attempters. Importantly, multiple attempters had greater suicide intent at the time of the most medically serious suicide attempt and more serious medical consequences during their most medically serious suicide attempt compared with attempters. Limitations: The cross-sectional design of the study. Conclusion: Our data suggest that multiple-suicide attempters require careful evaluation as their behavior can have serious medical consequences.


Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Per Sverre Persett ◽  
Øivind Ekeberg ◽  
Dag Jacobsen ◽  
Mari Asphjell Bjornaas ◽  
Hilde Myhren

Abstract. Background: Suicidal intent for patients attempting suicide using violent methods (VMs) is assumed to be higher than for those using self-poisoning (SP), which may explain the higher mortality observed in follow-up studies. However, this has not been studied prospectively. Aims: We aimed to compare patients attempting suicide using VMs with those using SP regarding suicidal intent, suicidal ideation, depression, and hopelessness during hospital stay and after 1 year. Methods: Patients hospitalized after suicide attempt by VMs ( n = 80) or SP ( n = 81) completed the Beck scales for Suicide Intent, Suicide Ideation, Depression Inventory, and Hopelessness on admission and at the 12-month follow-up. Results: On admission, those using VMs had higher suicidal intent than those using SP ( M = 16.2 vs. 13.3, p < .001), but lower depression scores ( M = 22.2 vs. 26.8, p < .05). No significant differences were found in suicidal ideation ( M = 20.1 vs. 23.1) or hopelessness ( M = 10.1 vs. 11.9). At 12-month follow-up, depression scores decreased significantly for both groups, while hopelessness decreased only for the SP group. Limitations: The statistical power achieved was lower than intended. Conclusion: The higher levels of suicidal intent, but lower levels of depression, may indicate more impulsivity among people attempting suicide using VMs. Suicidal ideation was relatively stable.


Crisis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merete Nordentoft ◽  
Jacob Branner

The objective was to examine gender differences in choice of method and suicidal intent among persons referred to a suicide prevention center. A total of 351 consecutive patients who had attempted suicide were interviewed using the European Parasuicide Study Interview Schedule I (EPSIS I) while participating in a 2-week inpatient treatment program. They were invited to a 1-year follow-up interview, and followed in the National Patient Register. Compared to women, men who had attempted suicide were older, had better self-esteem, fewer depressive symptoms, and higher total suicidal intention scores, but they were not more likely to use violent methods. Neither use of violent method nor dangerousness of the attempt was associated with suicidal intention. Although men had higher suicide intent scores than women, there were no significant gender differences in the number of repeat suicide attempts during a 1-year follow-up period. Suicidal intent was not related to dangerousness of suicide method.


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