Background: The suicide rate in the military environment is more than the non-military one and military studies have shown that suicides have increased among military staff in recent years. This study was conducted among the soldiers of a military unit to determine psychometric properties of Suicide Cognitions Scale Revised (SCS-R).
Materials and methods: In a descriptive-survey, a sample of 300 soldiers from a military unit were randomly selected and studied according to factors such as age, education level and military rank. The survey tools consisted of SCS, Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ).
Results: Results of the correlation analysis showed that the SCS has concurrent validity with BHS (r=0.654, p<0.001), convergent validity with the BSSI (r=0.574, p<0.001) and divergent validity with the OHQ (r=0.783, p<0.001). Also, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results showed that all 18 questions have the adequate factor loading and none of the questions were removed. The questionnaire reliability was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha 85%). Moreover, discriminant analysis of SCS questionnaires could diagnose 100% correctly the healthy people and 97.5% of patients having the history of attempted suicide.
Conclusion: Psychological tests, especially in the field of military forces have a great importance. Given the validity of SCS-R about the soldiers, it can be used in the prevention of suicide of soldiers.