Skills to Enhance Positivity in Adolescents at Risk for Suicide
Brown University
Summary
This is a Hybrid Type I Effectiveness-Implementation design. Specifically, this study proposes to test the effectiveness of STEP in reducing suicidal events and ideation in 216 adolescents, admitted to inpatient psychiatric care due to suicide risk. Participants will be randomized to either STEP or ETAU. STEP involves 4 in-person sessions (3 individual, 1 family) focused on psychoeducation regarding positive and negative affect, mindfulness meditation, gratitude, and savoring. Mood monitoring prompts and skill reminders will be sent daily for the first month post-discharge and three times a week for the following two months. The ETAU condition will receive reminders to log into a safety resource app, matched in frequency to the STEP group. Effectiveness aspects of the design include using clinical staff as interventionists and having very few exclusion criteria.
Description
216 participants and their families (across two sites) will be randomized to either STEP or ETAU (as described in the research strategy). Aims and hypotheses are below: Aim 1: Examine the effectiveness of STEP in reducing suicidal events (attempt or emergency intervention to intercede attempt), active SI (with intent or plan), and depression at 6-month f/u (primary) and suicidal events at 12-month follow-up (f/u). H1: It is hypothesized that those randomized to STEP, compared to ETAU, will have lower rates of suicide events (H1A), active SI (H1B), and depression (H1C) over the 6-month follow-…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 12–60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: Patients * Ages 12- 60 years * hospitalized on an inpatient psychiatric unit due to suicide risk * past month suicide attempts or suicidal ideation * proficient in English (parent either English or Spanish * access to a smart phone. Inclusion Criteria: Stakeholders Ages 22 - 60 years * work with adolescents hospitalized on an inpatient psychiatric unit due to suicide risk * proficient in English or Spanish Exclusion Criteria: * active psychotic disorder * significant cognitive impairment or deficits * ward of the State * discharge to residential facility.
Interventions
- BehavioralSTEP
Behavioral intervention to increase positive affect
- BehavioralEnhanced TAU
Standard care plus a phone app with a personalized safety plan
Locations (3)
- Children's HospitalBoston, Massachusetts
- Butler HospitalProvidence, Rhode Island
- Bradley HospitalRiverside, Rhode Island