David Shaffer, one of the most widely known leaders in the prevention of child and teen suicide, died on May 30th at 87 years old. A researcher, psychiatrist, and educator at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Shaffer is credited with pioneering the academic field of adolescent suicide. He was the first to map out the factors that might lead a person to attempt suicide, paving the way for better prevention and response mechanisms.
In 1987, a year after the publication of his seminal work, “Risk Factors for Youth Suicide,” Shaffer published “The Treatment of Adolescent Suicide Attempters,” which studied the effectiveness of interventions for those attempting to take their own lives. That same year, Shaffer founded the Columbia Suicide Research Center and created the Columbia Test for Adolescent Suicide, which has become a widely used tool for assessing suicidal risk in adolescents.
Shaffer’s studies increased awareness of the issue of adolescent suicide and helped inform the clinical and public health responses to improve outcomes. Through both his research and his tireless advocacy, Shaffer contributed an immense amount to the field of adolescent health, mental health, and suicide prevention. His death is a loss for both the scientific and suicide prevention communities and will be felt far and wide.
