The Use of a Behavior and Symptoms Rating Scale as a Predictor of Suicidal Ideations and Attempts in Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

Philadelphia, PA

Introduction: Suicidality is a health concern among adolescents. Approximately, 1 million people attempt suicide each year and it is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10-19. Inpatient hospitalizations may be beneficial for individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others since it provides a safe environment for the individual to receive individualized care. Many individuals who have been admitted for psychiatric inpatient hospitalization have suicidal ideations or attempts. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Assessment-Youth Scale (CABA-Y) explores an individual’s stressors and problem behaviors that may be contributing to the reasons for hospitalization.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to consider if specific problematic behaviors were predictive of suicidal ideation and attempts in an inpatient sample.

Method: This quantitative study utilized archival data of 13- to 17-year-old adolescents from an inpatient psychiatric center to explore the potential risk factors of aggression, sexual acting out, and impulsivity as related to suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents.

Results: It was found that the more impulsive behaviors an adolescent engaged in, the more they engaged in sexually acting out behaviors and aggression through physical fights. However, these behaviors were not predictive of suicidal ideations or attempts.

Discussion: Future research should further explore potential risk factors for early identification of suicide ideations and attempts, to help those adolescents considered to be “at-risk.”