Psychometric validity of the brief IMSA version in adults with a history of suicide attempts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37914/riis.v9.529Keywords:
suicide, motivation, impulsivity, psychometricsAbstract
Background: assessing attributed motivations is essential to identify the reasons underlying suicide attempts. In Brazil, the factorial structure of the Inventory of Motivations for Suicide Attempts remains underexplored. Objectives: to evaluate the factorial structure of the Inventory of Motivations for Suicide Attempts, compare competing psychometric models, and examine evidence of nomological validity for the brief version in adults with a history of suicide attempts.
Methodology: this psychometric study included 296 adults receiving care in specialized mental health services. Participants completed the full version of the instrument, from which a brief version was subsequently derived based on theoretical and empirical criteria. Participants also completed the full versions of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Confirmatory factor analyses, reliability estimates, and structural equation modeling were conducted, resulting in the brief version. Results: the nine-item unifactorial solution demonstrated the best overall fit, greater parsimony, and consistent parameters. Within the nomological network, motivation was positively correlated with impulsivity and reasons for suicidal ideation, and negatively correlated with reasons for not committing suicide, with small effects on ideation and suicide attempts. Conclusion: the brief version demonstrated evidence of validity and consistency, representing a useful alternative for clinical assessment and research on suicidal behavior.
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