Which screening tool is specifically designed to assess suicidal risk?

The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) is specifically designed to assess suicidal risk. This tool focuses on identifying the presence and severity of suicidal ideation and behaviors, providing a structured approach to evaluating the continuum of suicidal thoughts and actions. It includes questions that assess not just the existence of thoughts about suicide, but also the intensity, duration, and specific plans or attempts, making it a comprehensive instrument for understanding an individual's risk.

The other assessment tools mentioned, while useful in evaluating aspects of mental health, are not specifically targeted at suicide risk. The PHQ-9 and Beck Depression Inventory primarily assess depressive symptoms, and while they can provide indirect insight into suicidal thoughts due to the correlation between depression and suicide, they do not delve deeply into the specifics of suicidal ideation or behaviors. The PHQ-2, being a shorter version of the PHQ-9, also focuses on depression assessment and thus shares the same limitations in evaluating suicide risk. Therefore, the C-SSRS stands out as the appropriate choice for systematically assessing suicidal risk.