The feasibility and acceptability of using smartphones to assess suicide risk among Spanish-speaking adult outpatients.

OBJECTIVE

Hispanic/Latino adults, particularly Spanish speakers, are underserved in mental healthcare, and little is known about the day-to-day variation in their suicide risk. Smartphones have the potential to overcome geographical and linguistic barriers to mental health assessment and intervention. The purpose of the current study was to examine (a) the feasibility/acceptability of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess suicide ideation and suicide risk factors among high-risk Spanish-speaking adults and (b) the degree of within-person variation of suicide ideation and suicide risk in this population.

METHOD

Sixteen primary Spanish-speaking psychiatry outpatients completed EMA measures of suicide ideation and suicide risk factors four times a day for 14 days.

RESULTS

A majority of participants consented to active and passive remote assessments and reported the acceptability of study procedures. Adherence to EMA was high and not associated with symptom severity. EMA instances completed were not associated with symptom severity at follow-up. Average point-to-point variability in suicide ideation and risk factors were moderate to high, respectively. EMA captured more dramatic changes than standard baseline and follow-up assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

Results provide preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of using smartphones to assess suicide risk in a real-time and real-world setting among high-risk Spanish-speaking adults.