Factor analysis of the suicide intent scale with adolescent suicide attempters

Examined the factor structure of the Suicide Intent Scale (SIS; Beck, Schuyler, & Herman, 1974) when used with adolescent suicide attempters as well as the validity of these factors. Participants consisted of 190 hospitalized adolescent suicide attempters evaluated within 36 hr of the attempt. They responded to multiple self-report measures as part of a standard battery administered in the hospital that included the Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (Reynolds, 1987b), Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (Reynolds, 1987a), and the Hopelessness Scale for Children (Kazdin, French, Unis, Esveldt-Dawson, & Sherrick, 1983). A clinician rated suicide intent on the SIS. A common factor analysis, using the items of the SIS, revealed a three-factor solution. Factors were labeled Isolation Behaviors, Expected Outcome, and Planning Activities. The latter two factors correlated modestly with measures of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. Isolation Behaviors did not correlate with these measures. Results suggest that the Expected Outcome and Planning Activities factors may be more useful with adolescent suicide attempters than the total score.