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Suicide Risk Interventions
Suicide Risk Interventions: A Comparison of Treatment Dose and Neural Markers of Treatment Outcome
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * hospitalization for a recent suicidal crisis consisting of SI with intent to die within the past week and/or a suicide attempt within the past month * Veteran status * ability to speak English * ability to complete the informed consent process * willingness/ability to attend 12 outpatient treatment sessions and 3 fMRI sessions following hospital discharge Exclusion Criteria: * significant cognitive impairment * current psychotic or manic features
About the study
The suicide rate among active duty service members and Veterans increased substantially following the onset of post-9/11 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Accordingly, Veteran suicide prevention has been identified as a national healthcare and research priority. The investigators will recruit 136 female and male Veterans who have been hospitalized for suicide risk and randomly assign them to receive one of two psychotherapy treatments for suicide risk after they leave the hospital. The goals of this study are to examine if a) a longer psychotherapy causes greater improvements in coping skills and reductions in negative suicidal thinking, b) a longer psychotherapy is more effective in reducing suicide risk, and c) if Veterans with a history of multiple suicide attempts are more likely to benefit from the longer psychotherapy. Additionally, this study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) neuroimaging scans of Veterans shortly after they leave the hospital and again 4- and 12-months later. This study will explore a) if brain markers can predict suicide attempts, b) if brain markers change over time as suicide risk changes, and c) if brain markers change differently for the two types of psychotherapy.
What is being tested
- Enhanced Crisis Response Planning (ECRP) (behavioral)
- Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (BCBT) (behavioral)
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 136 · Started: Mar 3, 2025
Contact the study team
- Michael S Esterman, PhD · Phone: (857) 364-4362
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05931289
Locations in the U.S.
| Massachusetts | VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MA, Boston |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.