Executive Functioning as a Component of Suicide Risk Assessment: Clarifying its Role in Standard Clinical Applications.

EXECUTIVE function; HEALTH risk assessment; SUICIDE risk factors; BRAIN disease treatment; MENTAL health counselors; CLINICAL neuropsychology

Clinically, because executive dysfunction (e.g., impulsivity, insight, thinking process) is often thought of in the context of those with traumatic brain injuries and other neurologic conditions, it~ formal assessment has historically been seen as the domain of those who assess and treat patients with neurologic disease. However, mental health counselors (MHCs) could benefit from learning how executive functioning relates to suicide risk assessment and coping strategies. Assessment of executive functions can be incorporated in routine clinical practice without the need for formal neuropsychological measures or other time-consuming procedures. In fact, during standard clinical assessment, mental health professionals often informally assess components of executive functioning such as impulsivity, insight, and thinking processes. This article highlights aspects of executive functioning with which MHCs may already be familiar and demonstrates their clinical utility in enhancing assessment and management of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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