Abstract
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in college students, but there is limited consensual evidence to guide clinicians’ assessment and management of suicide. The aim of the current study was to assess the capability of a simple and practical measure, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) suicide item, to identify college students at high risk of suicide. Exploration of this research question could have important implications in this vulnerable population for identifying those at risk for suicide. Six-hundred-and-fifty-seven college students participated in a mental health screening and completed the BDI and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), which is a detailed measure of suicide risk. We dichotomized the BDI suicide item, which measures suicidal ideation within the past week (presence vs. absence of suicidal ideation) as well as the SBQ-R total score (low vs. high risk of suicide). We computed the kappa statistic for the examination of agreement between these two measures. The kappa coefficient for the BDI suicide item and the SBQ-R was 0.57 for dichotomized scores. The BDI suicide item had a positive predictive value of 74 %, and a negative predictive value of 93 %. In a hierarchical linear regression, the BDI suicide item alone significantly predicted elevated scores on the SBQ-R [Chi square (1) = 128.427, p < 0.001]. These results suggest that affirmative responses on the single BDI suicide item indicate elevated suicide risk. However this single item screening approach will miss some at-risk students.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the Jed Foundation for their support for this study.
Conflict of interest
Dr. Farabaugh | Dr. Farabaugh has received K23, Narsad, Kaplen grants. She has owned stock in Pfizer, Glaxo Smith Kline, and Wyeth. Dr Farabaugh has given talks for the MGH Academy and APA |
Dr. Mischoulon | Dr Mischoulon has received research support from the Bowman Family Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Cederroth, FisherWallace, Ganeden, Lichtwer Pharma, and Nordic Naturals. He has received honoraria for consulting, speaking, and writing from Pamlab, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Nordic Naturals. He has received royalties from Back Bay Scientific for PMS Escape, and from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins for published book “Natural Medications for Psychiatric Disorders: Considering the Alternatives.” No payment has exceeded $5,000 |
Dr. Andrew Nierenberg | Current research support |
R01 MH079157-01A2 (PI: Iosifescu, Subcontract PI: Nierenberg) 07/01/10-06/30/13 NIH/NIMH Efficacy and Safety of Galantamine for Dysfunction in Bipolar Disorder The aim of this grant is to examine in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial the efficacy and the safety of galantamine, an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor, for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in euthymic subjects with bipolar disorder Role: Investigator 1R01HS01937101 (PI: Nierenberg) 10/01/10-09/30/13 AHRQ Bipolar CHOICE Lithium plus adjunctive personalized treatment (APT) will be compared to Quetiapine plus APT for patients with bipolar I and II who are at least mildly ill and who require a change in treatment. The Li group will not receive any antipsychotics and the Quetiapine group will not receive Li. Both groups will be treated for 6 months Role: Director of National Coordinating Center | |
Advisory/consulting | |
Dr. Nierenberg has served as a consultant to the American Psychiatric Association (only travel expenses paid), Appliance Computing Inc. (Mindsite), Basliea, Brain Cells, Inc., Brandeis University, Bristol Myers Squibb, Corcept, Dey Pharmaceuticals, Dainippon Sumitomo, Eli Lilly and Company, EpiQ, Forest Research Institute, L.P./Mylan Inc., Novartis, PGx Health, Ridge Diganostics, Shire, Schering-Plough, Sunovian, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Targacept He has consulted for the following through the MGH Clinical Trials Network and Institute (CTNI) Astra Zeneca, Brain Cells, Inc, Dianippon Sumitomo/Sepracor, Johnson and Johnson, Labopharm, Merck, Methylation Science, Novartis, PGx Health, Shire, Schering-Plough, Targacept, and Takeda/Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals. He has received grant/research support through: MGH from NIMH, AHRQ, Forest Research Institute, PamLabs, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Shire. He received honoraria from Belvoir Publishing, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, Hillside Hospital, American Drug Utilization Review, American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology, Baystate Medical Center, Columbia University, CRICODartmouth Medical SchoolIMEDEX, Israel Society for Biological Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, MJ Consulting, New York State, Medscape, MBL Publishing, National Association of Continuing Education, Physicians Postgraduate Press, SUNY Buffalo, University of Wisconsin, University of Pisa, University of Michigan, University of Miami, APSARD, ISBD, SciMed, Slack Publishing, Wolters Klower Publishing | |
Speaking/publishing | |
Dr. Nierenberg is a presenter for the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy (MGHPA). The education programs conducted by the MGHPA were supported through Independent Medical Education (IME) grants from the following pharmaceutical companies in 2008: Astra Zeneca, Eli Lilly, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals; in 2009 Astra Zeneca, Eli Lilly, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He has had no speaker bureaus or boards since 2003. Dr. Nierenberg is (was) on the advisory boards of Appliance Computing, Inc., Brain Cells, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Johnson and Johnson, Takeda/Lundbeck, Targacept, and InfoMedic | |
Royalty/patent, other income | |
Dr. Nierenberg owns stock options in Appliance Computing, Inc. and Brain Cells, Inc Through MGH, Dr. Nierenberg is named for copyrights to: the Clinical Positive Affect Scale and the MGH Structured Clinical Interview for the Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale exclusively licensed to the MGH Clinical Trials Network and Institute (CTNI) Also, through MGH, Dr. Nierenberg has a patent extension application for the combination of buspirone, bupropion, and melatonin for the treatment of depression | |
Dr. Maurizio Fava | Research support |
Abbot Laboratories; Alkermes, Inc.;Aspect Medical Systems; AstraZeneca; BioResearch; BrainCells Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb; CeNeRx BioPharma; Cephalon; Clinical Trials Solutions, LLC; Clintara, LLC; Covance; Covidien; Eli Lilly and Company; ElMindA, Ltd.; EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Euthymics Bioscience, Inc.; Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ganeden Biotech, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Icon Clinical Research; i3 Innovus/Ingenix; Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development; Lichtwer Pharma GmbH; Lorex Pharmaceuticals; National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia & Depression (NARSAD); National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM); National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA); National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); Novartis AG; Organon Pharmaceuticals; PamLab, LLC.; Pfizer Inc.; Pharmavite® LLC; Photothera; Roche Pharmaceuticals; RCT Logic, LLC; Sanofi-Aventis US LLC; Shire; Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Synthelabo; Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories | |
Advisory/consulting | |
Abbott Laboratories; Affectis Pharmaceuticals AG; Alkermes, Inc.; Amarin Pharma Inc.; Aspect Medical Systems; AstraZeneca; Auspex Pharmaceuticals; Bayer AG; Best Practice Project Management, Inc.; BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Biovail Corporation; BrainCells Inc; Bristol-Myers Squibb; CeNeRx BioPharma; Cephalon, Inc.; Clinical Trials Solutions, LLC; CNS Response, Inc.; Compellis Pharmaceuticals; Cypress Pharmaceutical, Inc.; DiagnoSearch Life Sciences (P) Ltd.; Dinippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. Inc.; Dov Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Edgemont Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Eisai Inc.; Eli Lilly and Company; EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; ePharmaSolutions; EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Euthymics Bioscience, Inc.; Fabre-Kramer Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; GenOmind, LLC; GlaxoSmithKline; Grunenthal GmbH; i3 Innovus/Ingenis; Janssen Pharmaceutica; Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC; Knoll Pharmaceuticals Corp.; Labopharm Inc.; Lorex Pharmaceuticals; Lundbeck Inc.; MedAvante, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; MSI Methylation Sciences, Inc.; Naurex, Inc.; Neuronetics, Inc.; NextWave Pharmaceuticals; Novartis AG; Nutrition 21; Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.; Organon Pharmaceuticals; Otsuka Pharmaceuticals; PamLab, LLC.; Pfizer Inc.; PharmaStar; Pharmavite® LLC.; PharmoRx Therapeutics; Precision Human Biolaboratory; Prexa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Puretech Ventures; PsychoGenics; Psylin Neurosciences, Inc.; Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ridge Diagnostics, Inc.; Roche; RCT Logic, LLC; Sanofi-Aventis US LLC.; Sepracor Inc.; Servier Laboratories; Schering-Plough Corporation; Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Somerset Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Sunovion Pharmaceuticals; Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Synthelabo; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Tal Medical, Inc.; Tetragenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; TransForm Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc | |
Speaking/publishing | |
Adamed, Co; Advanced Meeting Partners; American Psychiatric Association; American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology; AstraZeneca; Belvoir Media Group; Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Cephalon, Inc.; CME Institute/Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.; Eli Lilly and Company; Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Imedex, LLC; MGH Psychiatry Academy/Primedia; MGH Psychiatry Academy/Reed Elsevier; Novartis AG; Organon Pharmaceuticals; Pfizer Inc.; PharmaStar; United BioSource,Corp.; Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories | |
Equity holdings: compellis | |
Royalty/patent, other income | |
Patent for Sequential Parallel Comparison Design (SPCD) and patent application for a combination of azapirones and bupropion in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); for research and licensing of SPCD with RCT Logic Copyright for the MGH Cognitive & Physical Functioning Questionnaire (CPFQ), Sexual Functioning Inventory (SFI), Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (ATRQ), Discontinuation-Emergent Signs & Symptoms (DESS), and SAFER; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; Wolkers Kluwer; World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte.Ltd | |
All other authors declare they have no conflicts of interest |
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Farabaugh, A., Nyer, M., Holt, D. et al. Screening for Suicide Risk in the College Population. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 33, 78–94 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0203-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0203-6