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Evaluating Treatments for Suicidal Veterans With PTSD
A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial of Treatments for Veterans With PTSD at Elevated Acute Risk for Suicide
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * PTSD * Recent and repeated self-directed violence * Current suicidal ideation * Emotion dysregulation * Veteran eligible for VHA mental health care at participating site * Willing to participate in all study activities Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to maintain safety independently * Currently engaged in and/or recent (past year) history of receiving a sufficient dose of DBT or PE * Plan to move away or be unavailable for \>4 weeks in the next 18 months * Unable to sufficiently comprehend study procedures due to lack of English proficiency or moderate to severe cognitive impairment
About the study
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a significant driver of suicide risk among Veterans, but there is a critical knowledge gap about how to treat PTSD among people at elevated risk for suicide. Although evidence-based treatments for PTSD reduce suicide risk, Veterans at high risk for suicidal behavior rarely receive these potentially life-saving treatments. Prior research suggests that a treatment that combines Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with the DBT Prolonged Exposure protocol (DBT PE) for PTSD improves both PTSD and suicide-related outcomes. This study will evaluate whether DBT + DBT PE improves these outcomes more than Prolonged Exposure plus suicide risk management, the gold standard VA care for this population. The proposed study will also examine factors that make it easier and harder to implement these treatments in VA settings. The results will help to inform treatment guidelines for this high-priority Veteran population.
What is being tested
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (behavioral)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure protocol (behavioral)
- Prolonged Exposure therapy (behavioral)
- Suicide risk management (behavioral)
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 125 · Started: Jul 8, 2024
Contact the study team
- Melanie S Harned, PhD · Phone: (206) 277-3650
- John C Fortney, PhD · Phone: (206) 764-2821
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05974631
Locations in the U.S.
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.