Development and a Pilot Application Process of the Korean Psychological Autopsy Checklist for Adolescents

Objective The aim of the study was to develop the Korean Psychological Autopsy Checklist for Adolescent (K-PAC-A) and conduct a pilot study. Methods A number of steps were undertaken in the development of the K-PAC-A including literature reviews, consultations, and a pilot study. The Korean psychology autopsy checklist 2.0 (K-PAC 2.0) was carefully reviewed to adopt some domains and questions which can be applied to adolescents. Results In addition to the adoption of some domains and questions from the K-PAC 2.0, some items were developed by considering the risk factors shown in the previous studies and cultural factors including family-based and school-based problems. A pilot study was conducted in collaboration with Eulji hospital, and Suicide and School Mental Health Institute of Hallym University and 5 cases of adolescent suicide victims were recruited. A final version of the K-PAC-A consists of three domains; a bereaved family (informants), a decedent, and psychological assessments. Conclusion An adolescent psychological autopsy study using the K-PAC-A is expected to provide useful evidence for suicide prevention policies and intervention plans for Korean youths in the future.