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A semi-structured interview for psychological autopsy in suicide cases.
Blanca Guevara Werlang1, Neury José Botega
1School of Psychology, Catholic University of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. bwerlang@pucrs.br
Revista Brasileira De Psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999)
|August 26, 2004
Summary
A Semi-Structured Interview for Psychological Autopsy (SSIPA) is applicable and reliable for suicide investigations. The SSIPA demonstrated significant interrater agreement among judges, aiding in determining the mode of death.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Psychological autopsy is crucial for suicide investigation.
- Standardized instruments enhance reliability in forensic assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the applicability and interrater reliability of the Semi-Structured Interview for Psychological Autopsy (SSIPA).
- To evaluate the SSIPA's utility in suicide cases.
Main Methods:
- Developed a four-module SSIPA assessing suicide-related factors.
- Conducted interviews with 42 relatives from 21 suicide cases.
- Utilized kappa statistics and concordance percentages for interrater reliability analysis among four judges.
Main Results:
- The SSIPA demonstrated applicability with significant interrater agreement across most modules (precipitants, motivation, intentionality).
- 100% agreement was achieved in the lethality evaluation module.
- High agreement among judges facilitated a consensus on death by suicide.
Conclusions:
- The SSIPA is a viable tool for psychological autopsies in suicide cases.
- The instrument is effective when utilizing information from bereaved relatives.