Will the Real Social Desirability Please Stand Up? Hopelessness, Depression, Social Desirability, and the Prediction of Suicidal Behavior

Several articles have debated the clinical significance of the negative relationship between the Beck Hopelessness Scale & the social desirability response style. The clinical utility of including social desirability assessment in the risk assessment & prediction of suicidal behavior is analyzed using both a general population & psychiatric sample. Results indicate that prediction accuracy is enhanced by including social desirability assessment. (NBB)