Tool-Description

The PANSI-14 consists of 14 items that evaluate both negative thoughts related to suicide and positive thoughts that may serve as protective factors against suicidal behavior. The items are divided into two subscales:

Negative Suicide Ideation: Assesses the presence of negative thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal tendencies. It includes questions related to the intensity of suicidal thoughts, the desire for isolation, and feelings of hopelessness.

Positive Ideation: Evaluates positive thoughts that act as protective factors, such as feelings of hope, the existence of supportive relationships, and the desire to live.

Data Analysis and Usage

The data collected through the PANSI-14 can be used to identify individuals at risk of suicidal behavior. Responses are typically rated on a Likert scale (e.g., 1 to 5), where higher scores on the negative subscale indicate a higher risk, while higher scores on the positive subscale indicate protection against suicide.

Data analysis techniques include:

Statistical analyses to examine the correlation between suicidal ideation and other psychological variables, such as depression and anxiety.

Reliability analysis, such as calculating Cronbach’s alpha, to assess the internal consistency of the subscales.

Factor analysis to confirm the structure of the two subscales.

The data can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of suicide prevention interventions.

Purpose

The primary goal of the PANSI-14 is to identify suicidal thoughts and assess the intensity of both negative and positive thoughts related to suicide. Specifically, the scale aims to:

Assess the extent to which an individual thinks about suicide.

Identify protective factors that reduce the risk of suicidal behavior.

Provide healthcare professionals with information for appropriate intervention and support for individuals at risk.

Calibration

The calibration of the PANSI-14 involves the following steps:

Reliability analysis by calculating Cronbach’s alpha to estimate the internal consistency of the two subscales (negative and positive).

Confirmatory factor analysis to verify the two-factor structure of the scale.

Validation with different populations to ensure that the scale is reliable and generalizable.

Bibliography

Osman, A., Gutierrez, P. M., Kopper, B. A., Barrios, F. X., & Chiros, C. E. (1998). The Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) inventory: Psychometric evaluation with adolescent psychiatric inpatient samples. Journal of Personality Assessment, 70(3), 491-503.

Osman, A., Bagge, C. L., Guitierrez, P. M., Konick, L. C., Kopper, B. A., & Barrios, F. X. (2001). The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R): Validation with clinical and nonclinical samples. Assessment, 8(4), 443-454.

Hirsch, J. K., & Conner, K. R. (2006). Dispositional and explanatory style optimism as potential moderators of the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(6), 661-669.