Background Shawn Shea’s Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE approach) is worldwide, including the Netherlands, a well-known and widely used method for clinical interviewing a patient’s suicidal state. However, the original description of the author is not always followed.
Aim Comparing the Dutch CASE approach with the original description.
Method The Dutch CASE approach has been explored on the basis of the text of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline and current handbooks. This approach is compared with the original description.
Results Three differences emerge. The main difference is that in the original CASE approach, seven validity techniques represent the foundation for investigation the suicidal state, while these are missing from the Dutch texts. Second, the chronological interview system in the Netherlands is interpreted differently than in the original CASE approach. Third, in the Netherlands, in contrast to the original approach, risk factors and protective factors are included in the study of the suicidal state.
Conclusion In the Netherlands, the CASE approach has been adopted in a simplified form, which is useful as a basic skill in the study of suicidal behavior. The diagnosis of suicidality can gain in depth, especially for advanced mental health professionals, by paying attention in training and education to the interviewing techniques of the original CASE approach.