The Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (<scp>SIDAS</scp>): Community‐Based Validation Study of a New Scale for the Measurement of Suicidal Ideation

TLDR

While suicide prevention efforts are increasingly delivered using technology, no scales have been developed specifically for web-based use. The Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS) was developed as a brief, web-based measure for severity of suicidal ideation. It was validated using an online survey of Australian adults (n = 1,352). The SIDAS demonstrated high internal consistency, good convergent validity, strong associations of frequency and controllability of thoughts with suicide plans and attempts, and scores ≥ 21 indicated high risk of suicide behavior, confirming it as a valid web-based measure.

Abstract

While suicide prevention efforts are increasingly being delivered using technology, no scales have been developed specifically for web‐based use. The Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale ( SIDAS ) was developed and validated as a brief, web‐based measure for severity of suicidal ideation, using an online survey of Australian adults ( n = 1,352). The SIDAS demonstrated high internal consistency and good convergent validity. Frequency and controllability of thoughts were more strongly associated with suicide plans and attempts than other attributes assessed. Scores ≥ 21 indicated high risk of suicide behavior. The SIDAS appears to be a valid web‐based measure for severity of suicidal ideation.