Associations Between the NIH Toolbox Adult Social Relationship Scales and Suicidal Ideation

Various measures of social support have been associated with suicidal ideation (SI). However, a brief, consistent, multidimensional approach to social support assessment has not been established. We assessed the NIH Toolbox Adult Social Relationship (ASR) scales and their associations with the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSI). Five ASR scales (emotional support, instrumental support, friendship, loneliness, perceived rejection) were used to predict BSI scores among psychiatric inpatients at baseline (N = 79) and at 3-months follow-up (N = 63). Mean BSI scores were 22.2 (SD 8.6) at baseline and 5.7 (SD 6.7) at follow-up. The ASR scales had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.93-0.96). Emotional support was associated with SI at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Instrumental support, loneliness and perceived rejection were associated with SI at baseline. Friendship was not associated with SI at either time-point. The ASR scales appear promising in differentiating aspects of social support most relevant to SI.