Brief Description
The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (Screen) [C-SSRS (Screen)] is a questionnaire designed to quantify the severity of suicidal ideation and behavior. It helps identify if a person is at risk for suicide, the severity and immediacy of the risk, and how much support the person needs. It asks about suicidal ideation and behaviors. Respondents rate whether they have experienced the suicidal behaviors listed (e.g., “Have you wished you were dead or wished you could go to sleep and not wake up?”) in the past month or lifetime on a scale of “Yes” and “No”.
Assessment Administration Type
Self-report (or can be clinician-administered)
Number of questions
7
Age Range for Administration
6+
Recommended Frequency of Administration
Monthly
Summary of Scoring and Interpretations
The C-SSRS (Screen) contains 7 questions that are scored on a binary Yes/No scale. A total score is not used; instead, it is helpful to look at the items endorsed to determine risk level. Per the scoring guide, if Questions 1 or 2 (low risk) or 3 or 6 (medium risk) are answered “Yes”, the client should receive further evaluation from a behavioral healthcare provider. If Questions 4, 5, or 7 (high risk) are answered “Yes”, it is recommended that the client receive an immediate behavioral health evaluation further assessing suicidality and client’s safety.
Blueprint Adjustments
Blueprint has 7 questions because Item 6 on the original C-SSRS (Screen) is a two-part question.
Clinical Considerations
Estimated completion time: 2-3 minutes
The C-SSRS (Screen) should not replace a complete clinical evaluation. It may be employed as an initial screening to guide a clinician in suicide risk assessment and to help stratify patients into categories of risk.
The C-SSRS has been extensively validated in several subpopulations, including children and adolescents, military veterans with concomitant post traumatic stress disorder, and psychiatry outpatients.
While the C-SSRS has been validated for most age groups, there are specific C-SSRS for different populations and there are also screeners and follow-up versions. Please see the Columbia Lighthouse Project website linked below for all versions.
Citation
Relevant Articles + Further Resources
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