Word count as an indicator of suicide risk in an inpatient setting

The current study replicates a previously used methodology with a suicidal inpatient sample regarding word counts generated by participants writing about suicidal constructs. Word counts (i.e., the number of written words) on the Suicide Status Form from initial sessions with suicidal inpatients were compared to self-rated suicide risk scores as well as to continuous and repeated measures of hopelessness and suicide ideation assessed over the course of inpatient care. Results showed that higher word counts were associated with initially higher suicide ideation scores that steadily declined over the course of treatment. Lower word counts were associated with lower initial hopelessness scores that increased during treatment before ultimately decreasing. In addition, word count was not found to be a significant predictor of self-rated suicide risk. Clinical implications of these data and future directions are discussed.