Youth & Adolescent Suicide Prevention Flashcards
7 cards from real AAS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Youth & Adolescent Suicide Prevention flashcards as text
In the context of adolescent suicide risk, 'protective factors' are best defined as:
Answer: Variables that reduce the likelihood of suicidal behavior despite risk factors
Protective factors buffer against suicide risk and can coexist with multiple risk factors, reducing the probability of suicidal behavior.
A school counselor notices a student's artwork repeatedly depicting death and self-harm. The counselor's evidence-based next step is to:
Answer: Conduct a direct, caring inquiry about suicidal thoughts
Direct, non-judgmental inquiry about suicidal thoughts is the recommended first step when warning signs such as preoccupation with death are observed.
The 'no-suicide contract' or 'safety contract' approach in adolescent treatment is now considered:
Answer: Insufficient on its own and not evidence-based as a sole intervention
Research indicates that no-suicide contracts lack empirical support and should not replace comprehensive safety planning.
Which developmental factor uniquely increases suicide risk during adolescence compared to adulthood?
Answer: Incomplete prefrontal cortex development affecting impulse control
Adolescent brain development, particularly incomplete prefrontal cortex maturation, is associated with heightened impulsivity and emotional dysregulation, increasing suicide risk.
Following a suicide death in a school, the recommended postvention approach includes:
Answer: Targeted outreach to vulnerable peers combined with mental health support
Evidence-based postvention focuses on identifying and supporting high-risk peers while avoiding actions that may glamorize the death or trigger contagion.
When using the Stanley-Brown Safety Planning Intervention with a suicidal adolescent, the LAST step in the hierarchy is:
Answer: Going to the nearest emergency room or calling 911
The Stanley-Brown model is hierarchical; professional emergency services are the final step after self-strategies and social supports have been exhausted.
Which condition has the strongest independent association with completed suicide in adolescents?
Answer: Major depressive disorder with hopelessness
Major depressive disorder, especially when accompanied by hopelessness, is the strongest psychiatric predictor of completed suicide in adolescents.