Welcome to Suicidal Behavior Across the Lifespan

1. Welcome to Suicidal Behavior Across the Lifespan PSY 4990 & PSY 6990 Michael R. Nadorff, Ph.D. mnadorff@psychology.msstate.edu

2. Goals for Today • Briefly introduce you to the instructor • Brief discussion of why studying suicide is important • Review the syllabus/provide overview of the class

3. Why I Study Suicide • For me, it is my grandmother • Died by suicide April 26, 1976 • Left me with a lot of unanswered questions

4. Academic Lineage • B.A. Psychology and Computer Applications, University of Notre Dame • No one studied suicide so I worked with Dr. John McIntosh at Indiana University – South Bend

5. Academic Lineage • M.S. & Ph.D., West Virginia University – Clinical Psychology • Went because several suicide researchers were there • Taught a undergraduate course on suicidal behavior • Began my research program examining the • association between sleep, suicide, • and aging

6. Academic Lineage • Clinical Internship, Baylor College of Medicine – Geriatric Mental Health Care and Research • Worked at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Houston VA) • Got to work with Dr. Tom Ellis at the Menninger Clinic (one of the nicest people I have ever met)

7. How To Reach Me • Michael R. Nadorff, Ph.D. • Office: 140 Magruder Hall, Suite 4 • Email: mnadorff@psychology.msstate.edu • Office Hours: By appointment

8. Required Materials • Jobes (2006) Managing Suicide Risk: A Collaborative Approach • Joiner (2005) Why People Die By Suicide • Joiner (2010) Myths About Suicide • King, Foster, & Rogalski (2013) Teen Suicide Risk: A Practitioner’s Guide to Screening, Assessment, and Management

9. Weekly Quizzes • There are a total of 3 quizzes, each worth 50 points • Quizzes are open from Tuesday at 1:00 AM until the next Monday, closing at 11:59 PM • Although open that whole time, I encourage you not to take a quiz at the last minute • Since there is a week to take each quiz there are no make-ups or extensions!

10. Two Ways To Take The Quiz • Option 1: • Take the quiz at home using Respondus Lockdown Browser (free download from MSU) • Books, notes, phones, friends, etc. are not allowed, honor code is in force • ~45 seconds per question (25 questions, so 20 minute time limit)

11. Two Ways To Take The Quiz • Option 2: • Schedule an appointment to take the quiz in the instructor’s lab using Respondus Lockdown Browser • Books, notes, phones, friends, etc. are not allowed, honor code is in force. Quiz proctored by instructor. • Unlimited time • If you require accommodations and have them documented with Student Support Services please let me know, I will work with you to make it work.

12. Bad/Funny Looking Quiz Items • MyCourses sometimes does funny things to quiz questions, and does not like %s, ‘s, and sometimes doesn’t put an all of the above answer at the bottom • If you encounter one of these, please email me immediately after the quiz • I will look into it, and if I think it negatively affected your performance, I will give you credit. • It will also enable me to correct it for your fellow students

13. 4990 Grading Scale • 3 quizzes worth 50 points each equals 150 points • Final exam is worth 100 points • Suicide assessment checkout is worth 50 points • Class participation is worth 25 points

14. 6990 Grading Scale • 3 quizzes worth 50 points each equals 150 points • Final exam is worth 100 points • Suicide assessment checkout is worth 50 points • Class participation is worth 25 points • Research paper is worth 100 points

15. Lectures • Lecture slides will be posted on MyCourses to facilitate your studying. • If a concept is not covered by the instructor, and you have a question about it, it is your responsibility to ask the instructor prior to taking the quiz.

16. Any Questions? • Ask me via email mnadorff@psychology.msstate.edu. Email is better than calling as my phone does not indicate when I get voice mails.