Psychometric Properties of the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form Among US Active Duty Military Service Members and Veterans

We assessed the interrater reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity of the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form (SITBI-SF) in a sample of 1,944 active duty service members and veterans seeking services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions. The SITBI-SF demonstrated high interrater reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity. The measurement properties of the SITBI-SF were comparable across service members and veterans. Approximately 8% of participants who denied a history of suicidal ideation on the SITBI-SF reported suicidal ideation on a separate self-report questionnaire (i.e., discordant responders). Discordant responders reported significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms than those who denied suicidal ideation on both response formats. Findings suggest that the SITBI-SF is a reliable and valid interview-based measure of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors for use with military service members and veterans. Suicide risk assessment might be optimized if the SITBI-SF interview is combined with a self-report measure of related constructs.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form (SITBI-SF) in military service members and veterans with PTSD. The SITBI-SF showed high reliability and validity, with comparable results across both groups. Approximately 8% of participants who denied suicidal ideation on the SITBI-SF reported it on a separate questionnaire. These participants had higher levels of PTSD symptoms. The SITBI-SF is a reliable measure for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors, and combining it with a self-report measure can enhance suicide risk assessment.