The Trauma and Suicide Potential Index–5: Psychometric Evaluation in College Samples

Abstract

We provide a brief description of the development of the Trauma and Suicide Potential Index–5 (TSPI-5) and report on the psychometric properties of scores from the new instrument. The TSPI-5 is designed to assess an individual’s desire to attempt suicide due to experiencing a trauma. We examined the structure of the instrument in two independent undergraduate samples. Study 1 (N = 415) examined the structure of the TSPI-5 using exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 2 (N = 538) reexamined the instrument structure using the same modeling strategy and also examined other validity estimates. Study 1 demonstrated an adequate fit to the sample data (χ² [1, N = 415] = 215.99, p < .001, comparative fit index (CFI ) = .969, Tucker-Lewis non-normed fit index (TLI) = .939, root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) = .319 [90% confidence interval (CI) = .283, .356], p < .001) and suggested evidence for unidimensionality. Study 2 confirmed the unidimensionality of the TSPI-5 as shown by acceptable fit estimates to the sample data, χ² (5, N = 538) = 80.45, p < .001, CFI = .996, TLI = .99, RMSEA = .17 (90% CI = .140, .200), p < .001. Scale reliability estimates for the TSPI-5 were good in Study 1 (omega = .94) and Study 2 (omega = .96). The TSPI-5 is a brief unidimensional instrument and its scores demonstrated good reliability and validity for assessing suicide-related behaviors due to experiencing a trauma in undergraduate samples.

Keywords:

• trauma
• traumatic experiences
• suicide
• suicidal behavior
• assessment

Notes

1 Because the TSPI-5 is under review by a publishing company, permission was granted by the authors only for the reproduction of an abbreviated version of the items.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Megan E. Curtis

Megan E. Curtis, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Clark Ryan-Gonzalez

Clark Ryan-Gonzalez, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Alexis Blessing

Alexis Blessing, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Jose Lara-Ruiz

Jose Lara-Ruiz, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Zainab Mohammed

Zainab Mohammed, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Augustine Osman

Augustine Osman, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.