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Suicide Crisis Tool Predictive of At-Risk Behavior

Depress Anxiety; ePub 2016 Oct 6; Galynker, et al

The Suicide Crisis Inventory (SCI) was predictive of future suicidal behavior (SB) in high-risk psychiatric inpatients during the crucial weeks following their hospital discharge, a recent study found. Researchers assessed adult psychiatric patients (n = 201) hospitalized for high suicide risk. Logistic regression models assessed the SCI's predictive validity for SB in the 4 to 8 weeks following hospital discharge and its incremental predictive validity over traditional risk factors (n = 137, 64% f/u rate). They found:

  • The SCI had excellent internal consistency; its total score at discharge predicted short-term SB with 64% sensitivity 88% specificity (odds ratio=13) at its optimal cut score.
  • In a test of its incremental predictive validity, SCI total score at discharge improved prediction of SB over traditional risk factors, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.02.
  • The SCI admission vs discharge test-retest reliability and score distributions showed it to be an acute state measure.

Citation:

Galynker I, Yaseen ZS, Cohen A, Benhamou O, Hawes M, Briggs J. Prediction of suicidal behavior in high risk psychiatric patients using an assessment of acute suicidal state: The Suicide Crisis Inventory. [Published online ahead of print October 6, 2016]. Depress Anxiety. doi:mixed10.1002/da.22559.