Development and Preliminary Validation of a Tool for Screening Suicide Risk in Chronically Ill Women

Abstract

The Suicide Screening Tool for Chronic Illness assesses suicide risk for persons with chronic, “invisible” illnesses. From an initial pool of 31 items, internal consistency, Rasch, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses produced a 14-item scale that is unidimensional, internally consistent, and correlated with measures of suicide-relevant constructs.

Keywords:

• Chronic invisible illness
• suicide
• perceived burdensomeness
• depression
• loneliness

Disclosure Statement

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cathy L. Pederson

Cathy L. Pederson holds a doctorate in physiology and neurobiology. She is a Professor of Biology at Wittenberg University and is the founder of Standing Up to POTS (standinguptopots.org).

Kathleen Gorman-Ezell

Kathleen Gorman-Ezell holds a doctorate in social work and is a licensed independent social worker. She is an assistant professor of social work at Ohio Dominican University.

Greta Hochstetler Mayer

Greta Hochstetler Mayer holds a doctorate in counselor education and is a licensed professional counselor. She is CEO and initiated suicide prevention coalitions for the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties in Ohio.

Jeffrey B. Brookings

Jeffrey B. Brookings holds a doctorate in psychology. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Wittenberg University.