Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
C-SSRSSuicidal Ideation & Behaviour Severity
10 items
2011
α 0.73–0.80
Free
Posner, K., Brown, G.K., Stanley, B., Brent, D.A., Yershova, K.V., Oquendo, M.A., Currier, G.W., Melvin, G.A., Greenhill, L., Shen, S., & Mann, J.J.
Clinical safeguarding note: CRITICAL SAFEGUARDING REQUIREMENT: This scale must only be administered by trained clinicians or researchers with appropriate crisis protocols in place. Freely available from the Columbia Lighthouse Project. FDA-recommended for use in all psychiatric clinical trials. Not a self-report instrument — requires trained administration. Immediate clinical response pathways must be established before use.
What it measures
The FDA-recommended gold-standard measure for assessing suicidal ideation and behaviour in clinical trials and clinical practice. Provides a standardised taxonomy distinguishing five levels of ideation severity and five behaviour categories. Widely mandated as a safety measure in all psychiatric drug trials.
Representative items
- Have you wished you were dead or wished you could go to sleep and not wake up? (Passive Ideation)
- Have you had any thoughts of killing yourself? (Active Ideation without Plan or Intent)
- Have you had these thoughts and had some intention of acting on them? (Ideation with Intent)
Citation
Posner, K., Brown, G.K., Stanley, B., Brent, D.A., Yershova, K.V., Oquendo, M.A., et al. (2011). The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale: Initial validity and internal consistency findings from three multisite studies with adolescents and adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168(12), 1266–1277.