How to Identify Suicidal People: A Systematic Approach to Risk Assessment

In an effort to help practitioners with the daunting task of evaluating suicide risk potential in their patients - a misdiagnosis can very well mean death - Dr. Thomas White, a clinical psychologist with over 35 years of experience in suicide assessment, has developed an entirely novel method, an actual system, of conducting effective suicide risk assessments that are clinically sound, professionally responsible and legally defensible. This is the first attempt ever to simplify and organize the suicide risk assessment process into a logical, structured format with practical and specific step-by-step instructions that can be followed from the beginning of the assessment to the end. Embracing a multidimensional, biopsychosocial approach, the system addresses all of the risk factors and clinical techniques that make up a thorough and insightful risk assessment.

Because assessments that follow this system are driven by objective data about the client that are based on well-researched risk factors, clinicians will feel confident that they have based their determinations of risk on information that is accepted by most professionals (and courts) instead of on their own personal assumptions and theories. An important and pioneering addition to the scant literature on suicide risk assessment, this new system will make the task of identifying suicide potential more accurate, reliable and safe.