What assessment tool is commonly used for evaluating suicide risk?

The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is specifically designed to assess suicide risk in individuals. It provides a structured framework for evaluating the severity and intensity of suicidal ideation and behaviors. This scale systematically addresses factors such as the frequency of suicidal thoughts, the specificity of a plan, the intent behind the thoughts, and any previous attempts at suicide. This makes the C-SSRS a highly focused tool for identifying individuals at risk of suicide, allowing clinicians to understand the current level of risk and inform appropriate interventions.

Other tools listed, while valuable for assessing general mental health conditions, do not center exclusively on suicide risk. For instance, the Beck Depression Inventory primarily assesses depressive symptoms, the Patient Health Questionnaire screens for various mental health conditions, including depression, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale measures anxiety levels. While these assessments can provide relevant information about aspects of an individual's mental health, they do not offer the targeted insight for evaluating suicide risk that the C-SSRS provides.