Factor structure of the suicide cognitions scale in a national sample of female veterans

Objective The Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS) may be beneficial for suicide risk assessment. However, research has identified diverging factor structures and focused primarily on samples composed of males. Given limited prior research with female veterans, who have experienced increased rates of suicide, we examined the factor structure of the SCS among a national sample of female veterans. Method Four-hundred thirty-one female veterans using and not using Veterans Health Administration care participated in an anonymous survey. Results Exploratory factor analysis identified a three-factor solution, consistent with some prior research. This factor structure was not replicated in a confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions Findings did not identify a consistent factor structure for the SCS among a sample of female veterans. Research is warranted to determine if suicide-specific cognitions differ among female veterans and to identify SCS items that should be added or removed to produce a more consistent factor structure among female veterans.