Construct validity of a proposed new diagnostic entity: Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD)

Abstract Background The current study presents initial support for the construct validity of Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD), a clinical entity consisting of acute suicide risk and several related features. Methods Participants ( N =195) were university students who were recruited for a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of affective disorders 2016-01, Vol.189, p.365-378
Main Authors: Tucker, Raymond P, Michaels, Matt S, Rogers, Megan L, Wingate, LaRicka R, Joiner, Thomas E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance
Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance Inventory-Lifetime (ASADI-L)
Adolescent
Adult
Affective Symptoms - diagnosis
Affective Symptoms - psychology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Psychiatry
Risk factor
Risk Factors
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide - psychology
Suicide attempt
Suicide, Attempted - psychology
Symptom Assessment
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Background The current study presents initial support for the construct validity of Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD), a clinical entity consisting of acute suicide risk and several related features. Methods Participants ( N =195) were university students who were recruited for a history of suicide attempt(s), history of suicidal ideation, or no history of suicide attempts or suicidal ideation. Participants completed study measures online. Results Factor analytic results indicated a one factor solution for a lifetime measure of ASAD symptoms. The measure demonstrated strong convergent and divergent validity with common correlates of suicide-related outcomes and incremental predictive validity, as lifetime occurrence of ASAD symptoms predicted number of past suicide attempts above and beyond a host of suicide risk factors. Lifetime ASAD symptoms differed between those with multiple suicide attempts, those with a single attempt, and participants without a history of attempts, as well as between participants with a history of both suicidal ideation and attempts and those with a history of suicidal ideation but not suicide attempts. Limitations The cross-sectional research design limits the ability to infer causation between ASAD symptoms and suicidal behavior. Only past ASAD symptoms (not current symptoms) were measured. Conclusions ASAD appears to be a unified clinical entity that characterizes acute suicide risk which may assist clinicians in determining a client’s potential for death by suicide.
ISSN:0165-0327
1573-2517
DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2015.07.049