ASQ
ValidatedAsk Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ)
10+ years (youth and adults)Clinician~2 min6 questions
Ask the patient each question as worded. If the patient answers Yes to any of Questions 1 through 4, ask the acuity question (5).
Report details · optional
Shown on the report and stored with the screening record. Use initials or a code, not full names.
Answers, results and report details are recorded by OpenScreener to monitor and improve the service. Privacy
About this screener — evidence, source, alternatives
Four yes/no questions asked by any clinician (wish to be dead, family better off, current suicidal thoughts, past attempt). Any “yes” is a positive screen, and a fifth acuity question separates acute (imminent) risk, needing an emergency safety evaluation, from non-acute risk, needing a brief suicide safety assessment. Validated in paediatric emergency departments and adult medical inpatients.
Evidence · validated
Paediatric ED development study (n = 524, ages 10–21): sensitivity 96.9% and specificity 87.6% against the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (Horowitz et al., 2012). Adult medical inpatients (n = 727): sensitivity 100% and specificity 89% against the Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, negative predictive value 100% (Horowitz et al., 2020).
Free alternative to
- Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ / ASIQ) · PAR
Paid suicidal-ideation questionnaire used as the criterion standard in ASQ validation.
Source & licence
National Institute of Mental Health. Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) Toolkit — Suicide Risk Screening Tool for youth and adults (2025). Horowitz LM, Bridge JA, Teach SJ, et al. Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ): a brief instrument for the pediatric emergency department. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012;166(12):1170–1176. Horowitz LM, Snyder DJ, Boudreaux ED, et al. Validation of the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions for adult medical inpatients: a brief tool for all ages. Psychosomatics. 2020;61(6):713–722.
Licence: Public domain — NIMH states that text in its website and materials is in the public domain and may be copied and reused without permission. The ASQ is free of charge.
Please cite the National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH images and logos may not be reused. Ask the questions exactly as worded.
Official source ↗