Asking Adolescents to Explain Discrepancies in Self-Reported Suicidality

A typology is presented of adolescents’ most common explanations for discrepant reporting of suicidal behaviour. 48 adolescents provided attempt histories by completing a self-report measure of suicidality. A select number of items were then readministered. Discrepancies in reporting were found in 50% of the sample. Adolescents were asked to clarify what might account for a particular discrepancy. Based on these responses, 7 mutually exclusive & exhaustive categories were derived. (36 refs.)