Assessment of suicide risk

Abstract

Suicide is a major public health problem and the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Due to low base rates and the numerous comorbid risk factors associated with suicide, accurate prediction is difficult. This is particularly true for adolscents and young adults. In this article, some associated risk factors are discussed in the context of two high-risk populations (young adult prison inmates and young adult veterans) and several recommendations are made for conducting suicide risk assesments. General prescriptions for intervention are also outlined with the goal of reducing overly defensive practice and increasing the likelihood that high risk individuals will receive effective intervention. Finally, several suggestions for future research are made.