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A unifying framework for suicide risk assessment: the source–problem–solution–motive (SPSM) model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2025

Mohammed J. Abbas Open the ORCID record for Mohammed J. Abbas [Opens in a new window]
Mohammed J. Abbas*
Affiliation:
Full-time consultant psychiatrist working at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Honorary Associate Professor, University of Leicester, UK. His main interests are suicide, case formulation (with colleagues he developed the integrated case formulation approach) and evolutionary psychiatry. He was the winner of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Psychiatrist Volunteer of the Year award for 2015.
*
Correspondence Mohammed J. Abbas. Email: ma731@leicester.ac.uk
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Summary

Suicidal and self-harming behaviours present a significant challenge for mental health services. Recent national guidelines advocate abandoning tools based on box-ticking and a move towards a personalised psychosocial assessment. This article examines evidence from theoretical and empirical research in this area and attempts to integrate it by introducing the source–problem–solution–motive (SPSM) model. The model, which builds on the contributions of other suicidologists, specially Jean Baechler, could be used as a framework for the assessment and management of these behaviours. The four stages of the model provide a comprehensive approach that enables an exploration of the internal logic of the behaviour. The model covers ‘because’ and ‘in-order-to’ motives. This allows a personalised approach, but also a structured one that can be taught and generalised.

Keywords

Suicideself-harmmotives for suicidemotives for self-harmmodel

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Type
Article
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BJPsych Advances , First View , pp. 1 - 13
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists

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