Validating the suicide status form for the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality in a psychiatric adolescent sample

Background For adults, the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS; Jobes, (2006, Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach, New York, Guilford) and Jobes, (2016, Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach, New York, Guilford)) is a treatment framework with replicated evidenced-based support for effectiveness. The current study is a psychometric validation of the Suicide Status Form (SSF-IV), the main assessment and treatment planning tool for CAMS, in an adolescent psychiatric sample. Methods Data were collected from 100 adolescents, aged 12–17, in inpatient settings (mean age = 14.6; 67.5% female, 80% white). Adolescents were administered Part A of the SSF-IV, as well as measures of overall suicide risk (both explicit and implicit), mental pain, Stress, Agitation, reasons for living, and self-esteem. Results Confirmatory factor analysis found a two-factor model to fit the data best, with Psychological Pain, Stress, and Agitation loading on one factor, and Hopelessness and Self-Hate on another. All of the core SSF constructs except Stress were significantly correlated with concurrent measures, and SSF overall suicide risk was significantly correlated with self-reported and implicit suicidality. Adolescents with suicide attempt history reported significantly higher scores on most core SSF items compared to no attempt history. Conclusions These results provide initial psychometric validation of the SSF for use with adolescents and indicate that it does not need to be adapted or modified for this age group.