Data Sheet 1_Development of a tool for assessing awareness of consequences of suicide.docx

ObjectivesThe ways in which individuals consider the potential impact of suicide on their life goals (i.e., consequences of suicide) may influence their suicidal ideation and/or behavior, but no measures exist for assessing awareness of consequences of suicide. A new measure is needed to ensure reliable and valid measurement which then enables accurate testing of hypotheses regarding consequences of suicide. The current study aimed to develop and refine a new tool for assessing awareness of potential consequences of suicide (Awareness Assessment Tool; AAT).
DesignMultiple stages of AAT development involved analysis of qualitative data from two sets of interviews.
MethodsInterviews with 12 participants who had contemplated or attempted suicide were analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA) to evaluate potential AAT items (Stage 1), followed by initial item development (Stage 2). Cognitive interviews to evaluate the AAT were then conducted with nine individuals with experience of suicidal ideation and/or behavior and analyzed using TA (Stage 3), followed by further AAT refinement (Stage 4).
ResultsThe following themes were identified at Stage 1: “The interview as an acceptable and helpful experience” and “The relationship between one’s mindset and ability to remember experiences of suicide.” Stage 3 analysis generated the following themes: “Limitations of the AAT design”; “The AAT as an acceptable measure of a potentially helpful idea”; “The importance of accounting for failure to reach goals”; “Psychological processes regarding the potential impact of suicide captured by the AAT”; “The importance of assessing short-term goals.” In Stage 4, the phrasing and length of AAT items were refined, some items were added, and improvements were made to the interviewer instructions and prompts in the AAT.
ConclusionPatterns of responding to AAT items were highlighted and refinements were made to improve the AAT. Overall, the AAT was experienced as acceptable and sometimes helpful, with demonstrable potential for use in future research.

研究目的：个体对自杀可能给其人生目标造成的影响（即自杀后果）的认知方式，可能会影响其自杀意念与自杀行为，但目前尚无用于评估自杀后果认知程度的测量工具。为实现可靠且有效的测量，进而精准检验有关自杀后果的研究假设，亟需开发一款全新的测量工具。本研究旨在开发并优化一款用于评估自杀潜在后果认知程度的工具——自杀后果认知评估工具（Awareness Assessment Tool，简称AAT）。
研究设计：AAT的开发共分为多个阶段，所有阶段均基于两组访谈获取的质性数据开展分析。
研究方法：第一阶段，招募12名曾有自杀意念或自杀未遂经历的参与者开展访谈，采用反身主题分析法（Reflexive Thematic Analysis，简称TA）对访谈资料进行编码分析，以筛选AAT的潜在条目；随后进入第二阶段，完成初始条目开发。第三阶段，招募9名存在自杀意念或自杀行为经历的个体开展认知访谈以评估AAT，同样采用TA对访谈数据进行分析；第四阶段，进一步优化AAT量表。
研究结果：第一阶段共识别出两类主题：「访谈体验可接受且具有帮助性」，以及「个体思维状态与回忆自杀经历的能力之间的关联」。第三阶段的分析共生成五类主题：①AAT量表设计存在局限；②AAT作为一种潜在有益的测量工具，其接受度良好；③需重视未达成目标的影响；④AAT可捕捉到个体对自杀潜在影响的心理加工过程；⑤评估短期目标的重要性。第四阶段中，研究人员对AAT条目的表述与长度进行了优化，新增了部分条目，并完善了AAT的施测指导语与提示语。
研究结论：本研究明确了AAT条目作答模式，并通过一系列优化进一步完善了该量表。总体而言，参与者对AAT的接受度良好，部分参与者认为该量表具有帮助性，其在未来研究中的应用潜力已得到证实。