Brief Description
The Brief Suicide Cognitions Scale (B-SCS) is one of four versions of the Suicide Cognitions Scale, each designed to measure thoughts and beliefs commonly experienced by individuals who have attempted suicide. The B-SCS is the shortest version, consisting of six items (e.g., "I am completely unworthy of love") that respondents rate on a 5-point scale, ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." This concise format is particularly useful for quick screening, making it an efficient tool for identifying individuals who may be at increased risk for suicidal behavior. Despite its brevity, the B-SCS effectively captures key cognitive patterns associated with suicide risk, making it useful in both clinical and research settings.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report
Number of questions
6
Age Range for Administration
18+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Weekly or as clinically appropriate
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
Scoring the B-SCS involves summing the responses to all six items, resulting in a total score that ranges from 6 to 30. Higher scores indicate a greater probability of suicidal behavior. While cutoff scores have been explored for other versions of the SCS, there is no cut off score for the B-SCS. It is strongly advised not to rely solely on these scores for clinical decision-making. The predictive utility of suicide risk screening tools is limited, and suicide risk is influenced by a variety of factors. Therefore, B-SCS scores should be used alongside other data points in a comprehensive suicide risk assessment. Additionally, clinicians can use individual item responses to gain deeper insights into a respondent’s beliefs and cognitive patterns, helping to tailor interventions more effectively.
Blueprint Adjustments
N/A
Clinical Considerations
Estimated time for completion: 2-3 minutes
There are multiple versions of this measure, including the SCS-R, which is also on Blueprint. Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding which measure to administer:
The B-SCS offers the highest efficiency for screening purposes due to its brevity, while the SCS-R may be more suitable for more in-depth assessments and measurement of suicide risk, such as therapy outcome monitoring or research studies.
The B-SCS includes the word "suicide" on the measure, whereas the SCS-R omits it in order to be less obvious when measuring suicide risk. Clinical judgment should be used when considering which measure to use, especially when working in populations or settings that include a high level of stigma or sensitivity to the word "suicide."
The original Suicide Cognitions Scale measure has been validated with an adolescent population; however, this brief version has not yet been validated with a younger population It is reasonable to assume this measure would be appropriate to use with adolescents if clinically indicated.
The measure’s authors strongly recommended that clinical decision-making not rely solely on the measures scores. The predictive utility of suicide risk screening and assessment scales is limited, and suicide risk states are highly variable.
Citation
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