Assessment of Suicidal Risk Among Adolescents (IN: Testing Adolescents: a Reference Guide for Comprehensive Psychological Assessments, edited by R G Harrington)

Adolescent suicide referrals originate from a variety of sources. This chapter introduces major assessment issues. The assessment strategies discussed include biographical & psychological data, the clinical interview, formal psychological assessments, & instrumentation specifically designed to assess suicidal risk. A multidimensional approach is presented. Case examples demonstrate applications of assessment procedures in a crisis situation & in ongoing counselling (41 refs.)