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Asking adolescents to explain discrepancies in self-reported suicidality
D M Velting1, J H Rathus, G M Asnis
1Department of Psychological Science, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0520, USA. dvelting@gw.bsu.edu
Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior
|July 23, 1998
Summary
Adolescents often explain differences in reporting suicidal behavior due to various factors. This study identified seven reliable categories for these reporting discrepancies in adolescent suicidality.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Accurate reporting of suicidal behavior in adolescents is crucial for effective intervention.
- Discrepancies in self-report measures can hinder accurate assessment of suicidality.
- Understanding reasons for reporting differences is vital for improving data collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a typology of adolescents' common explanations for reporting discrepancies in suicidal behavior.
- To categorize the reasons adolescents provide for differing reports of suicidality.
Main Methods:
- Forty-eight adolescents completed a suicidality self-report measure.
- Selected items were re-administered via semi-structured interview after an average of 5 days.
- Adolescents provided open-ended explanations for any reporting discrepancies.
Main Results:
- Fifty percent of the sample exhibited discrepancies in reporting suicidal behavior.
- Seven mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories were derived from adolescent explanations.
- High interrater agreement confirmed the reliability of the derived categories.
Conclusions:
- A reliable typology of adolescent explanations for reporting discrepancies in suicidal behavior was established.
- This typology can aid researchers and clinicians in understanding and addressing reporting variations.
- Further research can refine these categories and explore their clinical implications.