TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Reasons for Living--Older Adults Scale: A Suicide Risk Assessment Inventory JO - Gerontologist A1 - Edelstein, B. A. A1 - Heisel, Marnin J. A1 - McKee, Deborah R. A1 - Martin, Ronald R. A1 - Koven, Lesley P. A1 - Duberstein, P. R. A1 - Britton, Peter C. SP - 736 EP - 745 VL - 49 IS - 6 N2 - PURPOSE: The purposes of these studies were to develop and initially evaluate the psychometric properties of the Reasons for Living Scale-Older Adult version (RFL-OA), an older adults version of a measure designed to assess reasons for living among individuals at risk for suicide. DESIGN AND METHODS: Two studies are reported. Study 1 involved instrument development with 106 community-dwelling older adults, and initial psychometric evaluation with a second sample of 119 community-dwelling older adults. Study 2 evaluated the psychometric properties of the RFL-OA in a clinical sample. One hundred eighty-one mental health patients 50 years or older completed the RFL-OA and measures of depression, suicide ideation at the current time and at the worst point in one's life, and current mental status and physical functioning. RESULTS: Strong psychometric properties were demonstrated for the RFL-OA, with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient). Convergent validity was evidenced by negative associations among RFL-OA scores and measures of depression and suicide ideation. RFL-OA scores predicted current and worst-episode suicide ideation above and beyond current depression. Discriminant validity was evidenced with measures of current mental status and physical functioning. Criterion-related validity was also demonstrated with respect to lifetime history of suicidal behavior. IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide preliminary support for the validity and reliability of the RFL-OA. The findings also support the potential value of attending to reasons for living during clinical treatment with depressed older adults and others at risk for suicide.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0016-9013 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp052 ID - ref1 ER -