Translation and validation of the "Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors interview" in a Spanish population with suicidal behaviour.

INTRODUCTION: Most of the assesment tools used in our country examine a limited range of suicidal behaviours. In contrast, the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview (SITBI), developed in the US, assesses a wider range of these behaviours: suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, suicidal gestures, and self-harming behaviours. Given this lack, we think it is necessary to validate the Escala de Pensamientos y Conductas Autolesivas (EPCA), Spanish translation of the SITBI, in the Spanish population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The EPCA interview was administered to 150 inpatients in the Psychiatry Unit- Fundación Jiménez Díaz in order to examine its psychometric properties in a Spanish sample. To assess its test-retest reliability, the EPCA was again administered to those patients who were readmitted to hospital at least six months after the first assessment (n=50). To examine its construct validity, some of the most used assessment tools in this research field were also administered.

RESULTS: [corrected] Inter-rater agreement ranged from k=.90 to k=1. Test-retest reliability was good in the case of suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts; however, it was lower in the case of self-harming behaviours and suicidal gestures. Our results also support the construct validity of the scale.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings back the reliability (both inter-rater and test-retest) and construct validity of the EPCA in the Spanish population.