[Hungarian adaptation of the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire Revised].

Abstract

Background and purpose: Previous suicidal intent and attempt(s) are strong risk factors for current suicidal behaviour. In psy- chiatric practice, however, there are few self-report-based suicide risk assessment measures that can cover the past suicidal spectrum from multiple aspects and identify a cut-off point for suicidal risk. Our aim was therefore to introduce the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire Revised (SBQ-R) into the Hungarian test battery.

Methods: In our cross-sectional questionnaire study, 229 hospitalized adult psychiatric patients (mean age = 41.64 ys; SD = 14.41; 56.3% female) participated. Beside the SBQ-R, the Rihmer's Brief Suicide Questionnaire, 6-item version, the Beck Hopelessness Scale and the Minnesota Multiphasic Persona-lity Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) clinical personality questionnaire were completed.

Results: We confirmed the single-factor structure of the SBQ-R with excellent model fit indices in a Hungarian sample. The reliability of the questionnaire is adequate and its construct validity is optimal: it shows moderate to strong correlations with other measures of the suicide spectrum, with hopelessness and with the clinical scales of the MMPI-2. The cut-off point for suicidal risk was set at 7 points, broadly in line with international studies; patients at or above this value are 9 times more likely to have an expressed suicide risk. Hopelesness increases by 13.5% the possibility of the high-risk group membership based on the SBQ-R, while previous suicidal act(s) increase this odds five times higher.

Conclusion: The self-report-based SBQ-R is a reliable, valid, multi-faceted assessment of suicidal behaviour and an effective tool for screening suicidal risk.