Clinical decision making regarding suicide risk: Effect of patient and clinician age

ABSTRACT

To ascertain how patient age influences suicide risk assessment, clinicians (N = 262) read an ambiguous vignette about Bill (aged either 39 or 79 years old) and subsequently rated Bill’s suicide risk and hospitalization needs. Suicide-risk ratings varied greatly and young clinicians rated Bill’s suicide risk and hospitalization needs higher when he was elderly (79 years old); whereas, older clinicians rated Bill’s suicide risk and need for hospitalization higher when he was younger (39 years old). The interaction between patient and clinician age may reflect a “similarity” bias, such that clinicians perceive those who are different (i.e., younger or older) to be at elevated risk.