Examining The Validity Of A Composite Measure Of Core Items On The CAMS Suicide Status Form (SSF) With A History Of Suicide Attempts Among A Sample Of Rural Adolescents

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for adolescents ages 12 to 17. Suicide risk assessments such as the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) can be used to assess risk levels and manage suicidality. The current study assessed the validity of a five-item CAMS composite and suicide attempt history based on archival CAMS data collected from 86 rural adolescents ages 14 to 19 who were administered CAMS between 2017-2021 in three rural high schools in the Southeast.The relationship between gender and a history of suicide attempts was also assessed. The relationship between gender and a history of suicide attempts and the correlation between the five-item CAMS composite and a history of suicide attempts was not statistically significant. A post-hoc bivariate correlation was computed between the self-reported current overall risk of suicide and past suicide attempt history. A statistically significant correlation was found, indicating that higher ratings on the single item were associated with a higher number of past suicide attempts. Therefore, one's Overall Risk of Suicide and suicide attempt history may better measure one's potential risk for future suicide attempts than a five-item CAMS composite.