PURPOSE. To identify accurate descriptive terms for risk for violence and risk for suicide and to provide operational definitions for these terms
METHODS. The Delphi technique, with two rounds, was used to differentiate the operational definitions that represent risk for suicide from those that represent risk for violence. The expert panel consisted of 23 healthcare professionals with a minimum of a master's degree. In addition to the expert panel, a control group (N = 11) participated to assess content validity.
FINDINGS. Thirty-six definitions were agreed upon for suicide, 39 for violence.
CONCLUSIONS. These definitions represent the basic distinctions between the two behavioral manifestations.
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