Assessments of Suicide Risk

Abstract

Abstract The assessment of suicide risk remains one of the most important, complex, and difficult tasks performed by clinicians. Because suicide is one of the few fatal consequences of a psychiatric illness, accurate assessment of suicide risk is essential. This chapter presents the assessment of suicide risk from a clinically balanced and research-informed standpoint. The optimal risk assessment integrates a sound clinical interview with actuarial instruments providing supplementary or clarifying information. In recognition of the methodological and clinical difficulties in predicting suicide, the core of this chapter focuses on the collection of critical data and decision points in the clinical formulation, detection, and documentation of imminent and elevated risk in the usual and customary populations seen in professional psychological practice. The chapter emphasizes more general personality, clinical, and legal issues regarding the formulation of a standard of care for adult clinical populations.