Which of the following is NOT a commonly assessed risk factor for self-harm or safety incidents?

• A. Prior attempts.
• B. Active ideation.
• C. Eye color.
• D. Social isolation.

Answer: (C)

Assessments of self-harm risk center on factors tied to a person’s mental state and situation, not on unrelated physical traits. A history of past self-harm or suicide attempts is one of the strongest indicators of potential recurrence, showing a pattern of distress and risk that clinicians monitor closely. Active ideation reveals ongoing thoughts about self-harm, signaling imminent danger and the need for immediate safety planning. Social isolation reduces protective supports and has consistently been linked to higher risk because the person has fewer people to notice danger signs or intervene. Eye color, by contrast, has no established link to a person’s risk of self-harm or safety incidents, so it’s not used in risk assessment.