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To initially assess psychometric properties of two abbreviated versions of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS): a 10-item Brief Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (BGSIS), and a 5-item Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale-Screen (GSIS-Screen). A series of psychometric analyses was conducted, assessing the internal consistency, test–retest reliability, construct and predictive validity of the abbreviated GSIS scales. This was done by selecting-out GSIS items from a combined dataset of studies on suicide ideation in older adults: 1) The GSIS scale development study (n = 107); 2) A clinical trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) modified for suicidal older adults(n = 25); 3) A longitudinal study of risk and resiliency to suicide ideation in community-residing older adults (n = 173). Overall findings demonstrated strong internal consistency, test–retest reliability, concurrent and predictive validity for the BGSIS and GSIS-Screen with older adults across community, clinical, and residential settings. Study findings support the use of the abbreviated GSIS scales when conducting research on suicide risk identification among older adults. Future research is recommended testing these scales prospectively in public health, residential, and clinical settings, in research and healthcare delivery contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalence rates of death by euthanasia (EUT) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have increased among older adults, and public debates on these practices are still taking place. In this context, it seemed important to conduct a systematic review of the predictors (demographic, physical health, psychological, social, quality of life, religious, or existential) associated with attitudes toward, wishes and requests for, as well as death by EUT/PAS among individuals aged 60 years and over. The search for quantitative studies in PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases was conducted three times from February 2016 until April 2018. Articles of probable relevance (n = 327) were assessed for eligibility. Studies that only presented descriptive data (n = 306) were excluded. This review identified 21 studies with predictive analyses, but in only 4 did older adults face actual end-of-life decisions. Most studies (17) investigated attitudes toward EUT/PAS (9 through hypothetical scenarios). Younger age, lower religiosity, higher education, and higher socio-economic status were the most consistent predictors of endorsement of EUT/PAS. Findings were heterogeneous with regard to physical health, psychological, and social factors. Findings were difficult to compare across studies because of the variety of sample characteristics and outcomes measures. Future studies should adopt common and explicit definitions of EUT/PAS, as well as research designs (e.g. mixed longitudinal) that allow for better consideration of personal, social, and cultural factors, and their interplay, on EUT/PAS decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To derive a brief late-life suicide resiliency scale from the 69-item Reasons for Living Scale-Older Adult version (RFL-OA). Methods: We conducted a series of secondary analyses of RFL-OA data (N = 204) from a dataset combining: 1. A follow-up assessment of nursing home residents in the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS) development study; 2. A trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) with suicidal older adults; 3. A longitudinal study of risk and resiliency to late-life suicide ideation. We specifically assessed the distributions of RFL-OA items and their associations with suicide ideation and behavior to create an RFL-Suicide Resiliency subscale (RFL-SR); we then tested the psychometric properties of this measure's items drawn from the larger RFL-OA. Results: Nine RFL-OA items were significantly associated with suicide ideation and history of suicide behavior and were not highly correlated with social desirability. Psychometric analyses supported the internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and construct validity of this scale. Conclusions: The items of the RFL-SR demonstrated strong psychometric properties with older adults in clinical and community settings. Clinical Implications: The RFL-SR may make a useful addition to suicide risk assessment in gerontological research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the preliminary effectiveness of Meaning-Centered Men's Groups (MCMG), a 12-session existentially-oriented, community-based, psychological group intervention designed to enhance psychological resiliency and prevent the onset or exacerbation of suicide ideation among men who are concerned about or struggling with the transition to retirement. Methods: We recruited 30 men (n= 10 per group), 55 years and older (M= 63.7, SD= 4.1) from community settings to participate in a course of MCMG to be delivered in a community center. Participants completed eligibility, pre-, mid-, and post-group assessments of suicide ideation and psychological risk and resiliency factors. Results: Participants experienced significant increases in attitudinal sources of meaning in life, psychological well-being, life satisfaction, retirement satisfaction, and general health, and decreases in depression, hopelessness, loneliness, and suicide ideation. Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest that MCMG is a novel men's mental health intervention that may help to enhance psychological well-being and potentially reduce the severity or prevent the onset of symptoms of depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. Clinical Implications: Upstream psychological interventions may serve an important role in mental health promotion and suicide prevention with potentially vulnerable individuals facing challenging life transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To investigate the psychometric properties of the five-item Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ-5) and the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale-Screen (GSIS-Screen, submitted) among community-residing middle-aged and older men. Methods. The SBQ-5 and GSIS-Screen were administered to 93 men, 55 years or older, who participated in an eligibility assessment (Time 1) for an upstream psychological intervention study to prevent the onset of suicide ideation among men struggling to transition to retirement. Eligible participants later completed the full GSIS and measures of depression and hopelessness at a pre-group assessment (Time 2). Results. The SBQ-5 was positively associated with the GSIS-Screen at the eligibility assessment. Internal consistency for both measures was low but acceptable. Time 1 scores on both screens predicted suicide ideation at Time 2, controlling for the intervening time lag and for baseline cognitive and physical functioning. Only the GSIS-Screen uniquely predicted future depression and hopelessness ratings. Conclusions. The SBQ-5 and the GSIS-Screen have acceptable psychometric properties among middle-aged and older community-residing men; the GSIS-Screen is more closely associated with later-life suicide risk factors. Clinical Implications. Brief screening tools may be of use in effectively identifying suicide ideation in community-residing middle-aged and older men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Across age groups, bipolar disorder (BD) carries the greatest risk of death by suicide of all psychiatric conditions; 25%-50% of those with BD will make one or more suicide attempt. Psychometrically sound instruments are required to reliably measure suicide ideation and risk of self-harm for older adults with BD. For this study, we validate the geriatric suicide ideation scale (GSIS) with adults 50+ years with BD. Methods: We recruited a global sample of 220 older adults with BD (M = 58.50 years of age) over 19 days using socio-demographically targeted, social media advertising and online data collection. To demonstrate the construct validation of GSIS responses by older adults with BD, we computed correlations and performed regression analyses to identify predictors of suicide ideation. Results: Our analyses support a four-factor model of responses to the GSIS (ideation, death ideation, loss of personal and social worth, and perceived meaning in life) measuring a higher order latent construct. Older adults with BD reporting low satisfaction with life and current depressive symptoms, and who misuse alcohol, report significantly higher levels of suicide ideation. Sleep quality and cognitive failures are also correlated with GSIS responses. Conclusions: Results support the factorial validity of the GSIS with older adults with BD. Similar to other populations, the GSIS measures a four-factor structure of suicide ideation. Across BD subtypes, the GSIS appears to reliably measure suicide ideation among older adults with BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:To investigate the psychometric properties of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS) among community-residing older adults. Method:We recruited 173 voluntary participants, 65 years and older, into a 2+ year longitudinal study of the onset or exacerbation of depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. We assessed the internal consistency of the GSIS and its four component subscales, and its shorter and longer duration test–retest reliability, convergent (depression, social hopelessness, and loneliness), divergent (psychological well-being, life satisfaction, perceived social support, and self-rated health), discriminant (basic and instrumental activities of daily living and social desirability), criterion (history of suicide behavior), and predictive validity (future suicide ideation). Results:The GSIS demonstrated strong test–retest reliability and internal consistency. Baseline GSIS scores were significantly positively associated with suicide risk factors, negatively associated with potential resiliency factors, and not associated with functional impairment or social desirability. GSIS scores significantly differentiated between participants with as compared to those without a history of suicide behavior. Baseline GSIS scores significantly predicted suicide ideation at a 2+ year follow-up assessment. Conclusion:Findings suggest strong measurement characteristics for the GSIS with community-residing older adults, including impressive consistency over time. These results are consistent with research attesting to the empirical and pragmatic strengths of this measure. These findings have implications for the monitoring of suicide risk when aiming to enhance mental health and well-being and prevent suicide in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:To investigate the roles of reasons for living (RFL) and meaning in life (MIL) in potentially promoting mental health and well-being and protecting against suicide ideation among community-residing older adults and to investigate the psychometric properties of the Reasons for Living Scale-Older Adult version (RFL-OA). Method:Of 173 older adults initially recruited into a longitudinal study on late-life suicide ideation, 109 completed the RFL-OA and measures of cognitive and physical functioning and positive and negative psychological factors at a two-year follow-up assessment. We tested a model in which RFL and MIL protect against suicide ideation, controlling for demographic and clinical factors. We also assessed the psychometric properties of the RFL-OA in community-residing older adults, investigating its internal consistency and its convergent (MIL, perceived social support, and life satisfaction), divergent (loneliness, depressive symptom severity, and suicide ideation), and discriminant validity (cognitive and physical functioning). Results:RFL-OA scores explained significant variance in suicide ideation, controlling for age, sex, depressive symptom severity, and loneliness. MIL explained significant unique variance in suicide ideation, controlling for these factors and RFL, and MIL significantly mediated the association between RFL and suicide ideation. Psychometric analyses indicated strong internal consistency (α = .94), convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity for the RFL-OA relative to positive and negative psychological factors and cognitive and physical functioning. Conclusion:These findings add to a growing body of literature suggesting merit in investigating positive psychological factors together with negative factors when assessing suicide risk and planning psychological services for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychological assessment of older adults is often challenging due to the frequent co-morbidity of mental and physical health problems, multiple medications, interactions among medications, age-related sensory and cognitive deficits, and the paucity of assessment instruments with psychometric support for their use with older adults. First, psychological assessment instruments for examining five important clinical areas (suicide ideation, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and personality) are discussed in light of the most current research regarding their psychometric properties and suitability for use with older adults. Instruments developed specifically for older adults are distinguished from instruments developed for younger adults that have some psychometric support for their use with older adults. Second, the potential sensory deficits that could compromise assessment, factors to consider in light of these deficits, and accommodations that can be made to minimize their effects are discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the relationship between suicide ideation and various predictive psychological factors in order to improve upon existing models of student suicidality. Specific attention was paid to social hopelessness, an interpersonal form of hopelessness, in the prediction of suicidality. A sample of 143 college students completed measures of suicide ideation, daily stress, depression, general hopelessness, and social hopelessness. As expected, correlational results demonstrated that suicide ideation was associated significantly with daily stress, depression, general hopelessness, and social hopelessness. However, a discriminant function analysis found that depression and social hopelessness were the only factors that discriminated between the 2 groups. Overall, the results support a multidimensional predictive model of student suicide ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]