Specificity and sensitivity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale for suicidal ideation among adolescents entering early intervention service
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Previous studies have shown an association between hopelessness and suicidal behaviour in clinical populations. The aim of the study was to investigate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive validity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) for suicidal ideation in adolescents who show early risk signs on the psychiatric disorder continuum. Three-hundred and two help-seeking adolescents (mean age = 15.5 years) who were entering an early intervention team at Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, completed questionnaires of BHS and suicidal ideation, derived from Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results suggest that a BHS cut-off score ≥8 (sensitivity = 0.70, specificity = 0.76) or cut-off score ≥9 (sensitivity = 0.63, specificity = 0.80) may be useful to detect suicidal ideation with BHS in help-seeking adolescents population. Results remain mainly the same in a separate analysis with adolescents at risk for psychosis. The results support previous cut-off points for BHS in identification of suicidal ideation. The results suggest also that lower cut-off scores may be useful in sense of sensitivity, especially in clinical settings.
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In clinical populations, the BHS proved to discriminate between individuals with a high and moderate risk of suicide, as well as individuals with and without a history of suicide attempts.
“In clinical populations, the BHS proved to discriminate between individuals with a high and moderate risk of suicide, as well as individuals with and without a history of suicide attempts (Granö et al., 2017; Balsamo et al., 2020).”
From Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Mixed Methods Study (2022) · cites this paper as Granö et al., 2017
A BHS score of 9 or higher could detect patients at risk for suicide.
“A score of 9 or higher could detect patients at risk for suicide [31, 35].”
From High depression symptomatology and mental pain characterize suicidal psychiatric patients (2022) · cites this paper as [35]
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- Authors
- Granö, N., Oksanen, J., Kallionpää, S., & Roine, M.
- Affiliations
- Helsinki University Hospital (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Granö, Niklas
- ORCID
- Granö, Niklas
- Venue
- Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2016-09-14
- Volume
- 71
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 72-76
- ISSN
- 0029-1455 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-9488
- 1502-4725
- OpenAlex
- W2521037071
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 0.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Nordic Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Keywords
- Beck Hopelessness Scale, suicidal ideation, adolescents, early intervention, help-seeking, cut-off values, sensitivity and specificity, predictive validity, psychosis risk, hopelessness
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Female, Finland, Humans, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sensitivity and Specificity, Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Early Medical Intervention
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