Suicide Risk Assessment: Practice Test 2 (Units 8-13) -
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. American Indian and Alaska Native youth have high suicide rates. Protective strategies that
show promise include:
A. Removing youth from their communities
B. Ignoring cultural practices
C. Only medication-based approaches
D. Strengthening cultural identity, community connection, and tribally led prevention programs
Correct Answer: D. Strengthening cultural identity, community connection, and tribally led
prevention programs
Rationale: Programs grounded in culture and community, such as those emphasizing cultural continuity
and connection to elders, are associated with reduced risk. Removal from communities has historically
caused harm. Prevention must be community-led.
2. When a parent reports finding a suicide note written by their 14-year-old, the appropriate
response is to:
A. Wait to see if the teen mentions it
B. Ensure the teen is not left alone and arrange an urgent assessment
C. Punish the teen for writing it
D. Throw the note away and say nothing
Correct Answer: B. Ensure the teen is not left alone and arrange an urgent assessment
Rationale: A note indicates possible planning and requires immediate evaluation, means safety and
supervision. Waiting or punishing could have tragic consequences. The note should be shared with the
evaluating clinician.
,3. Social media use is associated with suicide risk in youth particularly when it involves:
A. Connecting with supportive peers
B. Cyberbullying, exposure to self-harm content, sleep disruption, and social comparison
C. Accessing crisis resources
D. Learning coping skills
Correct Answer: B. Cyberbullying, exposure to self-harm content, sleep disruption, and social
comparison
Rationale: Online environments can expose youth to harmful content and harassment, and excessive
night-time use disrupts sleep, while supportive use can help. Clinicians should ask about online
experiences. Not all social media use is harmful.
4. Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) helps reduce depression and suicide risk
by:
A. Focusing only on medication adherence
B. Addressing interpersonal problems such as conflicts, role transitions, and grief
C. Avoiding discussion of relationships
D. Teaching firearm safety
Correct Answer: B. Addressing interpersonal problems such as conflicts, role transitions,
and grief
Rationale: IPT-A links mood to relationship difficulties and builds communication and problem-solving
skills, with evidence for reducing adolescent depression. Relationships are central to the approach. It is
not a medication or firearm program.
5. Military-connected children may face added stress related to:
A. Parental deployments, frequent moves, and parental injury or mental health problems
B. Unchanging routines
C. Fewer school transitions
D. Lack of family stress
Correct Answer: A. Parental deployments, frequent moves, and parental injury or mental
health problems
Rationale: Frequent relocations disrupt friendships and schooling, and deployments create uncertainty
and caregiver strain. Schools and clinicians should be aware of these stressors. Their routines are often
disrupted rather than unchanging.
,6. Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) has been shown to:
A. Increase self-harm
B. Have no evidence in youth
C. Work only for children under 8
D. Reduce self-harm and suicide attempts among high-risk adolescents
Correct Answer: D. Reduce self-harm and suicide attempts among high-risk adolescents
Rationale: Randomized trials found that DBT-A, which includes multifamily skills groups, reduced
self-harm and suicidal behavior compared with other treatments. It targets emotion regulation and distress
tolerance. It is designed for adolescents.
7. Eating disorders in adolescents are associated with elevated suicide risk; anorexia nervosa in
particular has:
A. No relationship to suicide
B. Low mortality
C. One of the highest mortality rates of psychiatric illnesses, partly due to suicide
D. Mortality only from accidents
Correct Answer: C. One of the highest mortality rates of psychiatric illnesses, partly due to
suicide
Rationale: Suicide is a leading cause of death in anorexia nervosa, along with medical complications, so
suicide screening is part of eating disorder care. Specialized treatment is essential. Mortality is high, not
low.
8. Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder may be at higher suicide risk partly because:
A. Autism protects against depression
B. They never have suicidal thoughts
C. They may experience social isolation, bullying, and difficulty expressing emotions
D. They cannot be screened
Correct Answer: C. They may experience social isolation, bullying, and difficulty expressing
emotions
Rationale: Autistic youth and adults have elevated rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts, and
assessment may need adapted communication. Screening tools can be used with modifications. Autism
does not protect against depression.
, 9. When an adolescent reports nonsuicidal self-injury, parents should be advised to:
A. Punish the teen
B. Ignore the behavior
C. Respond calmly, avoid punishment or shaming, and help the teen connect with treatment
D. Check the teen's body publicly
Correct Answer: C. Respond calmly, avoid punishment or shaming, and help the teen connect
with treatment
Rationale: Calm, supportive responses encourage disclosure and treatment, while punishment or
shaming increases secrecy. Professional help addresses the underlying distress. Public checking is
humiliating and counterproductive.
10. Which antidepressants are FDA approved for treating major depression in adolescents?
A. Fluoxetine and escitalopram
B. Paroxetine and venlafaxine
C. Bupropion and mirtazapine
D. Amitriptyline and imipramine
Correct Answer: A. Fluoxetine and escitalopram
Rationale: Fluoxetine is approved from age 8 and escitalopram from age 12 for major depression;
paroxetine and venlafaxine showed less favorable risk-benefit profiles in youth. Tricyclics are not
recommended for youth depression due to limited efficacy and toxicity.
11. Laws regarding a minor's ability to consent to outpatient mental health treatment without a
parent:
A. Are identical in all states
B. Never allow minor consent
C. Require court approval in every case
D. Vary by state, so clinicians must know their local rules
Correct Answer: D. Vary by state, so clinicians must know their local rules
Rationale: Some states allow adolescents of a certain age to consent to counseling, which can reduce
barriers, while others require parental consent. Even with minor consent, safety concerns may require
parental notification. There is no single national rule.
Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. American Indian and Alaska Native youth have high suicide rates. Protective strategies that
show promise include:
A. Removing youth from their communities
B. Ignoring cultural practices
C. Only medication-based approaches
D. Strengthening cultural identity, community connection, and tribally led prevention programs
Correct Answer: D. Strengthening cultural identity, community connection, and tribally led
prevention programs
Rationale: Programs grounded in culture and community, such as those emphasizing cultural continuity
and connection to elders, are associated with reduced risk. Removal from communities has historically
caused harm. Prevention must be community-led.
2. When a parent reports finding a suicide note written by their 14-year-old, the appropriate
response is to:
A. Wait to see if the teen mentions it
B. Ensure the teen is not left alone and arrange an urgent assessment
C. Punish the teen for writing it
D. Throw the note away and say nothing
Correct Answer: B. Ensure the teen is not left alone and arrange an urgent assessment
Rationale: A note indicates possible planning and requires immediate evaluation, means safety and
supervision. Waiting or punishing could have tragic consequences. The note should be shared with the
evaluating clinician.
,3. Social media use is associated with suicide risk in youth particularly when it involves:
A. Connecting with supportive peers
B. Cyberbullying, exposure to self-harm content, sleep disruption, and social comparison
C. Accessing crisis resources
D. Learning coping skills
Correct Answer: B. Cyberbullying, exposure to self-harm content, sleep disruption, and social
comparison
Rationale: Online environments can expose youth to harmful content and harassment, and excessive
night-time use disrupts sleep, while supportive use can help. Clinicians should ask about online
experiences. Not all social media use is harmful.
4. Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) helps reduce depression and suicide risk
by:
A. Focusing only on medication adherence
B. Addressing interpersonal problems such as conflicts, role transitions, and grief
C. Avoiding discussion of relationships
D. Teaching firearm safety
Correct Answer: B. Addressing interpersonal problems such as conflicts, role transitions,
and grief
Rationale: IPT-A links mood to relationship difficulties and builds communication and problem-solving
skills, with evidence for reducing adolescent depression. Relationships are central to the approach. It is
not a medication or firearm program.
5. Military-connected children may face added stress related to:
A. Parental deployments, frequent moves, and parental injury or mental health problems
B. Unchanging routines
C. Fewer school transitions
D. Lack of family stress
Correct Answer: A. Parental deployments, frequent moves, and parental injury or mental
health problems
Rationale: Frequent relocations disrupt friendships and schooling, and deployments create uncertainty
and caregiver strain. Schools and clinicians should be aware of these stressors. Their routines are often
disrupted rather than unchanging.
,6. Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents (DBT-A) has been shown to:
A. Increase self-harm
B. Have no evidence in youth
C. Work only for children under 8
D. Reduce self-harm and suicide attempts among high-risk adolescents
Correct Answer: D. Reduce self-harm and suicide attempts among high-risk adolescents
Rationale: Randomized trials found that DBT-A, which includes multifamily skills groups, reduced
self-harm and suicidal behavior compared with other treatments. It targets emotion regulation and distress
tolerance. It is designed for adolescents.
7. Eating disorders in adolescents are associated with elevated suicide risk; anorexia nervosa in
particular has:
A. No relationship to suicide
B. Low mortality
C. One of the highest mortality rates of psychiatric illnesses, partly due to suicide
D. Mortality only from accidents
Correct Answer: C. One of the highest mortality rates of psychiatric illnesses, partly due to
suicide
Rationale: Suicide is a leading cause of death in anorexia nervosa, along with medical complications, so
suicide screening is part of eating disorder care. Specialized treatment is essential. Mortality is high, not
low.
8. Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder may be at higher suicide risk partly because:
A. Autism protects against depression
B. They never have suicidal thoughts
C. They may experience social isolation, bullying, and difficulty expressing emotions
D. They cannot be screened
Correct Answer: C. They may experience social isolation, bullying, and difficulty expressing
emotions
Rationale: Autistic youth and adults have elevated rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts, and
assessment may need adapted communication. Screening tools can be used with modifications. Autism
does not protect against depression.
, 9. When an adolescent reports nonsuicidal self-injury, parents should be advised to:
A. Punish the teen
B. Ignore the behavior
C. Respond calmly, avoid punishment or shaming, and help the teen connect with treatment
D. Check the teen's body publicly
Correct Answer: C. Respond calmly, avoid punishment or shaming, and help the teen connect
with treatment
Rationale: Calm, supportive responses encourage disclosure and treatment, while punishment or
shaming increases secrecy. Professional help addresses the underlying distress. Public checking is
humiliating and counterproductive.
10. Which antidepressants are FDA approved for treating major depression in adolescents?
A. Fluoxetine and escitalopram
B. Paroxetine and venlafaxine
C. Bupropion and mirtazapine
D. Amitriptyline and imipramine
Correct Answer: A. Fluoxetine and escitalopram
Rationale: Fluoxetine is approved from age 8 and escitalopram from age 12 for major depression;
paroxetine and venlafaxine showed less favorable risk-benefit profiles in youth. Tricyclics are not
recommended for youth depression due to limited efficacy and toxicity.
11. Laws regarding a minor's ability to consent to outpatient mental health treatment without a
parent:
A. Are identical in all states
B. Never allow minor consent
C. Require court approval in every case
D. Vary by state, so clinicians must know their local rules
Correct Answer: D. Vary by state, so clinicians must know their local rules
Rationale: Some states allow adolescents of a certain age to consent to counseling, which can reduce
barriers, while others require parental consent. Even with minor consent, safety concerns may require
parental notification. There is no single national rule.
