What should clinicians inquire to clarify a client's suicidal behavior?

When assessing suicide risk, it is crucial for clinicians to determine the specific nature and history of a client's suicidal behavior. Inquiring directly about past suicide attempts is essential because it provides concrete evidence of the client's risk level. A history of suicide attempts is one of the strongest indicators of future suicidality.

Understanding whether the client has made a suicide attempt helps clinicians gauge the severity, frequency, and context of the behavior, which significantly informs risk assessment and management strategies. This direct question allows for clarity regarding the client's experience and can guide further inquiry into their current feelings and thoughts around suicide.

While asking about coping skills and support networks may provide important contextual information about the client's overall mental health and resources, the direct assessment of previous attempts is more immediately relevant to assessing current risk. Additionally, whether the client has talked to others about their feelings may shed light on their openness or willingness to seek help, but it does not specifically address the risk linked to suicide attempts in the same way that question about prior attempts does.

Thus, focusing on the direct history of suicide attempts provides critical information necessary for appropriately assessing and managing the client's risk of self-harm.