@article{ref1,
title="The Development and Initial Validation of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale",
journal="American journal of geriatric psychiatry",
year="2006",
author="Heisel, Marnin J. and Flett, Gordon L.",
volume="14",
number="9",
pages="742-751",
abstract="Objective: The authors report on the development and initial validation of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS), a new multidimensional measure of suicide ideation and related factors in older adults. Methods: Study 1 involved development of an initial 66-item measure, administration to a heterogeneous sample of 172 adults 65 years or older, assessment of the measure's factor structure, and subsequent scale reduction and correlation with social desirability. Study 2 involved validation of the reduced scale with a new sample of 107 older adults and psychometric assessment of the measure's reliability and initial validity. Results: Factor analysis indicated a four-factor structure for the GSIS, with subscales assessing Suicide Ideation, Death Ideation, Loss of Personal and Social Worth, and Perceived Meaning in Life. Psychometric analyses with a new sample indicated strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct and criterion validity for the GSIS and its subscales were demonstrated by positive associations with measures of depression, hopelessness, and self-reported health problems, and negative associations with life satisfaction and psychological well-being. The 10-item Suicide Ideation subscale also differentiated psychiatric patients from nonpatients. Conclusions: The GSIS is a psychometrically sound measure of late-life suicide ideation. Findings support the use of its subscales as standalone measures of late-life suicide risk and psychological resilience.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1064-7481",
doi="10.1097/01.JGP.0000218699.27899.f9",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.JGP.0000218699.27899.f9"
}