Suicide Risk Assessment: Is It Possible?

Risk assessment in the context of suicide ideation and behavior is not possible with certainty. Current meta-analyses have shown that neither individual variables nor risk scores, clinical judgment, or orientation to a theoretical model satisfactorily predict suicidal behavior. The question arises as to how clinicians should deal with the lack of precision in risk assessment. This article first outlines the current state of relevant data and then reflects on the significance of the findings for practical work: Risk assessment should be understood as a collaborative process in which the therapist recognizes that he does not have sufficient expert knowledge of a patient's suicide risk potential. (C) 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel