Written Exposure Therapy for Suicide Prevention

Status Not yet recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Military service members admitted to inpatient psychiatry for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) represent an at-risk group for continued SITBs and rehospitalizations in the post-discharge period. However, there is an absence of evidence-based interventions designed to be delivered on inpatient psychiatric units to reduce the risk of post-discharge SITBs. To address this gap, the investigator's research group developed Written Exposure Therapy for Suicide Prevention (WET-SP), a brief, scalable, suicide-specific psychotherapy based on the written disclosure paradigm. Written disclosure, in which an individual writes about a personally stressful experience and the related thoughts and feelings, yields improvements across physical and psychiatric domains. Pilot data suggest that written exposure also yields reductions in SITBs. Yet, no study has adapted the written exposure paradigm specifically to target the amelioration of distress associated with suicidal crises and examined whether implementing WET-SP reduces the risk of subsequent SITBs and suicide-related hospitalizations. The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy of WET-SP, in reducing the incidence and severity of SITBs in active duty military service members following a psychiatric hospitalization due to suicidal ideation, suicide plans, or a suicide attempt. Secondary objectives are to evaluate a potential mechanism of change (i.e., decreases in thwarted belongingness [cf. social disconnectedness]) and moderator of outcomes (i.e., arc of narrative [cf. linguistical parameters of the written narratives generated during treatment]). Participants randomized to WET-SP + TAU will receive five sessions of WET-SP delivered by the study team during their psychiatric hospitalization plus treatment-as-usual (TAU). Participants randomized to TAU will receive daily contact and patient-centered care delivered by the acute psychiatric inpatient unit provider team (e.g., psychiatrists, therapists, case managers). TAU includes psychiatric assessment, initial stabilization, nurse case management, medication management, treatment of medical comorbidities, group and individual therapy, and discharge planning. Outcome assessments will be administered at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 10-, 20-, and 30-week follow-ups.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT05878795
Study type	Interventional
Source	Boston University
Contact	Brian P Marx, PhD
Phone	857-364-6071
Email	bpmarx@bu.edu
Status	Not yet recruiting
Phase	N/A
Start date	July 2024
Completion date	June 2025

View Details

See also
Status	Clinical Trial	Phase
Recruiting	`NCT03185026` - Psychoeducation for Suicidal Behavior	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT05609487` - Evaluation of the Safety Plan to Prevent Suicidal Reiteration	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT06322199` - Differences Between Suicide Attempters and Suicide Ideators. Influence of the Brief Therapy Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) on Neuropsychological Correlates and Psychological Process Factors - Project 3
Completed	`NCT03134885` - Evaluation of a Regional Post-discharge Monitoring System for Suicide Attempters
Completed	`NCT01535482` - Cognitive Therapy for Suicidal Older Men	N/A
Completed	`NCT01360736` - A Brief Intervention to Reduce Suicide Risk in Military Service Members and Veterans - Study 2 (SAFEMIL)	N/A
Completed	`NCT01118208` - Blister Packaging Medication to Increase Treatment Adherence and Clinical Response	N/A
Completed	`NCT05580757` - Pharmacists as Gate Keepers in Suicide Prevention: Needs of Pharmacists
Not yet recruiting	`NCT05427734` - Treating Drivers of Suicide Using Jaspr Health	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT06406972` - Brief Admission by Self-referral for Individuals With Self-harm: Effects on Compulsory Care
Recruiting	`NCT05537376` - A Novel Peer-Delivered Recovery-Focused Suicide Prevention Intervention for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness	N/A
Completed	`NCT03227991` - Safety Planning Intervention to Reduce Short Term Risk	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT04962373` - Brief Admission for Adolescents Who Self-harm
Completed	`NCT02985047` - Brief Admission Skane: Replacing General Admission for Individuals With Self-harm and Acute Risk of Suicide	N/A
Enrolling by invitation	`NCT06060535` - Implementation of Suicide Risk Models in Health Systems	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT04994873` - Skills to Enhance Positivity in Suicidal Youth	N/A
Recruiting	`NCT04592809` - Ketamine Versus Midazolam for Recurrence of Suicidality in Adolescents	Phase 3
Completed	`NCT01176929` - Randomized Controlled and Prospective Trial of a Cohort of People Who Made a Suicide Attempt	N/A
Completed	`NCT00558805` - Family Intervention for Suicidal Youth: Emergency Care	Phase 2
Recruiting	`NCT05390918` - Targeting Adolescent Insomnia to Lessen Overall Risk of Suicidal Behavior	N/A

Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.