Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-session Mechanism-focused Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

Across multiple models of suicide risk, hopelessness and perceptions of social relatedness (i.e., lack of social connection/thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness) have emerged as candidate mechanisms that maintain STBs. Although these mechanisms have garnered strong empirical support in predicting STBs, there has been virtually no integration with interventions aimed for individuals at acute risk for suicide. Thus, the overarching goal of the present proposal is to evaluate a mechanism-focused intervention that explicitly targets two core mechanisms implicated in the maintenance of STBs: hopelessness and negative perceptions of social relatedness. Given that the period immediately following hospital discharge presents the highest risk for suicide attempts and up to 70% of patients admitted for a suicide attempt do not attend their first outpatient appointment, the intervention will be evaluated on an inpatient unit. Additionally, most of the extant interventions for STBs are administered across multiple sessions (i.e., 4 sessions and up to one year); however treatments of this length are unlikely to be feasible in acute care settings. Fortunately, very brief suicide prevention interventions, are effective in reducing future suicide attempts and increasing the likelihood of attending follow-up treatments. Additionally, single-session interventions (not suicide specific) have been shown to reduce hopelessness immediately and at a one-month follow-up.

The present study is an RCT comparing a novel Single Session Mechanism Focused Intervention (SSMFI) for STBs to treatment-as-usual (TAU) on a psychiatric inpatient unit for patients admitted for suicidal ideation or attempt. The engagement of the putative processes (hopelessness and negative perceptions of social relatedness) that maintain STBs will be assessed, along with the feasibility and acceptability of SSMFI for STBs on an inpatient psychiatric unit.