Modified SAD PERSONS Scale of Hockberger and Rothstein

Description

Hockberger and Rothstein modified the SAD PERSONS Scale originally developed by Patterson et al. This can help nonpsychiatrists to identify a patient who may be at risk for suicide. The authors are from UCLA Medical Center and Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.

Parameters: based on the pneumonic SAD PERSONS:

(1) S: sex

(2) A: age

(3) D: depression

(4) P: previous attempts or psychiatric care

(5) E: excessive alcohol or drug use

(6) R: rational thinking loss

(7) S: separated, divorced or widowed

(8) O: organized or serious attempt

(9) N: no social support

(10) S: stated future intent

Parameter	Finding	Points
sex	male	1
	female	0
age	< 19	1
	19 – 45	0
	> 45	1
depression or hopelessness	present	2
	absent	0
history	previous suicide attempts or psychiatric care	1
	neither	0
alcohol or drug use	excessive	1
	not excessive or none	0
capacity for rational thinking	lost due to organic brain syndrome or psychosis	2
	intact	0
marital status	separated, divorced or widowed	1
	married or always single	0
suicide attempt	organized, well-thought out or serious	2
	neither	0
social supports	none (no close family, friends, job or active religious affiliation)	1
	present	0
future intent	determined to repeat, or ambivalent about the prospect	2
	no intent	0

score =

= SUM(points for all 10 parameters)

Interpretation:

• minimum score: 0

• maximum score: 14

• The higher the score, the greater the risk of suicide.

• A patient with a score <= 5 rarely requires hospitalization.

Score	Management
0 - 5	may be safe to discharge, depending on circumstances
6 – 8	emergency psychiatric consultation
9 - 14	probably requires hospitalization

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Description

Specialty

ICD-10