Integrating the Youth Nominated Support Team (YST) With CBT for Black Youth With Acute Suicide Risk

Summary

This is a second pilot study being completed based on lessons learned from the Aim 2a feasibility pilot study (NCT06941311). Following modifications, the investigators are testing the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of the combination of two psychosocial interventions, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) and the computer-assisted version of the Youth-Nominated Support Team (eYST). In this phase of the study, CBT-SP + eYST will be tested in an open trial (number of youth = 15). Investigators will recruit Black adolescents (ages 12-17) that come to an urban acute care setting for suicidal thoughts and/or self-injurious behaviors to receive the intervention in an outpatient community mental health agency. Participants will receive 12-14 sessions of CBT-SP in addition to YST. Participants will nominate up to 5 caring adults in their lives to serve as support persons. These support persons will attend an education/orientation session to learn more about their role and how to support the youth. Support persons will have weekly contact with the youth and weekly follow up contacts from the youth's clinician/YST intervention specialist. Youth will be assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 14 weeks. Parents will be assessed at baseline and 14 weeks. Support persons will be assessed at baseline and 14 weeks. Fidelity assessments will be completed by clinicians after each session, after the YST psycho-ed session, and weekly to document contact with the support team.

Eligibility

Age range

12+ years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP)

  Clinicians will provide this specialized evidence based mental health care. The study focuses on the acute phase of CBT-SP, which is 12 sessions. CBT-SP's goals are to reduce suicide risk factors, enhance coping, and prevent future suicidal behavior. Identifying the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or familial processes that precede a suicide crisis is a major focus, which yields an individualized treatment plan. Each session lasts one hour and can be completed either in person or via a secure telehealth platform. Most youths will attend sessions on a weekly basis and therapists will prioritize parent engagement

• Behavioral
  Youth-Nominated Support Team

  Youth will nominate up to 5 trusted adults. Following parental approval, Support Persons will attend a psychoeducational orientation session with their assigned intervention specialist (i.e., the youth's clinician), learn about the youth's difficulties, treatment plan, and receive ideas for supporting the youth. Support Persons will be asked to have contact with the youth each week for the 3 months of the study. During these calls, Support Persons have an opportunity to discuss any questions or concerns they may have about the youth and how best to support them.

Locations (2)