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Attempted suicide is the main risk factor for suicide and repeated suicide attempts. However, the evidence for follow-up treatments reducing suicidal behavior in these patients is limited. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) in reducing suicidal behavior. ASSIP is a novel brief therapy based on a patient-centered model of suicidal behavior, with an emphasis on early therapeutic alliance. Patients who had recently attempted suicide were randomly allocated to treatment as usual (n = 60) or treatment as usual plus ASSIP (n = 60). ASSIP participants received three therapy sessions followed by regular contact through personalized letters over 24 months. Participants considered to be at high risk of suicide were included, 63% were diagnosed with an affective disorder, and 50% had a history of prior suicide attempts. Clinical exclusion criteria were habitual self-harm, serious cognitive impairment, and psychotic disorder. Study participants completed a set of psychosocial and clinical questionnaires every 6 months over a 24-month follow-up period. The study represents a real-world clinical setting at an outpatient clinic of a university hospital of psychiatry. The primary outcome measure was repeat suicide attempts during the 24-month follow-up period. Secondary outcome measures were suicidal ideation, depression, and health-care utilization. Furthermore, effects of prior suicide attempts, depression at baseline, diagnosis, and therapeutic alliance on outcome were investigated. During the 24-month follow-up period, five repeat suicide attempts were recorded in the ASSIP group and 41 attempts in the control group. The rates of participants reattempting suicide at least once were 8.3% (n = 5) and 26.7% (n = 16). ASSIP was associated with an approximately 80% reduced risk of participants making at least one repeat suicide attempt (Wald χ21 = 13.1, 95% CI 12.4-13.7, p < 0.001). ASSIP participants spent 72% fewer days in the hospital during follow-up (ASSIP: 29 d; control group: 105 d; W = 94.5, p = 0.038). Higher scores of patient-rated therapeutic alliance in the ASSIP group were associated with a lower rate of repeat suicide attempts. Prior suicide attempts, depression, and a diagnosis of personality disorder at baseline did not significantly affect outcome. Participants with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (n = 20) had more previous suicide attempts and a higher number of reattempts. Key study limitations were missing data and dropout rates. Although both were generally low, they increased during follow-up. At 24 months, the group difference in dropout rate was significant: ASSIP, 7% (n = 4); control, 22% (n = 13). A further limitation is that we do not have detailed information of the co-active follow-up treatment apart from participant self-reports every 6 months on the setting and the duration of the co-active treatment. ASSIP, a manual-based brief therapy for patients who have recently attempted suicide, administered in addition to the usual clinical treatment, was efficacious in reducing suicidal behavior in a real-world clinical setting. ASSIP fulfills the need for an easy-to-administer low-cost intervention. Large pragmatic trials will be needed to conclusively establish the efficacy of ASSIP and replicate our findings in other clinical settings. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02505373.

Background The risk of suicide behaviours post–deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains controversial. We assessed if suicide ideation and behaviours are more common in PD patients (1) randomised to DBS surgery versus best medical therapy (BMT); and (2) randomised to subthalamic nucleus (STN) versus globus pallidus interna (GPi) DBS surgery. Methods In Phase 1 of the Veterans Affairs CSP 468 study, 255 PD patients were randomised to DBS surgery (n=121) or 6 months of BMT (n=134). For Phase 2, a total of 299 patients were randomised to STN (n=147) or GPi (n=152) DBS surgery. Patients were assessed serially with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part I depression item, which queries for suicide ideation; additionally, both suicide behaviour adverse event data and proxy symptoms of increased suicide risk from the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were collected. Results In Phase 1, no suicide behaviours were reported, and new-onset suicide ideation was rare (1.9% for DBS vs 0.9% for BMT; Fisher's exact p=0.61). Proxy symptoms of relevance to suicide ideation were similar in the two groups. Rates of suicide ideation at 6 months were similar for patients randomised to STN versus GPi DBS (1.5% vs 0.7%; Fisher's exact p=0.61), but several proxy symptoms were worse in the STN group. Conclusions Results from the randomised, controlled phase of a DBS surgery study in PD patients do not support a direct association between DBS surgery and an increased risk for suicide ideation and behaviours.

To determine whether brief intervention and contact is effective in reducing subsequent suicide mortality among suicide attempters in low and middle-income countries. Suicide attempters (n = 1867) identified by medical staff in the emergency units of eight collaborating hospitals in five culturally different sites (Campinas, Brazil; Chennai, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Karaj, Islamic Republic of Iran; and Yuncheng, China) participated, from January 2002 to October 2005, in a randomized controlled trial to receive either treatment as usual, or treatment as usual plus brief intervention and contact (BIC), which included patient education and follow-up. Overall, 91% completed the study. The primary study outcome measurement was death from suicide at 18-month follow-up. Significantly fewer deaths from suicide occurred in the BIC than in the treatment-as-usual group (0.2% versus 2.2%, respectively; chi2 = 13.83, P < 0.001). This low-cost brief intervention may be an important part of suicide prevention programmes for underresourced low- and middle-income countries.

Background Metabolic disturbances have been correlated with suicidality, but little is known about the association between suicide risk and metabolic disturbances among individuals with depression. This study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlations, especially cardio-metabolic associated factors of recent suicide attempts in Chinese patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods A total of 288 MDD inpatients were recruited. Their clinical and demographic data together with plasma glucose, lipid and thyroid function parameters were collected. Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) were rated for most of the patients. Results Of these MDD inpatients, 20.14% had attempted suicide during the past 1 month. Compared to those who had not attempted suicide, the suicide attempters had a significantly longer duration of illness, lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lower total cholesterol, and more psychotic symptoms. However, all these significant results did not survive after the bonferroni correction (all p  > 0.05). A logistic regression analysis indicated that suicide attempts were associated with the lower total cholesterol and more psychotic symptoms. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis of the association of low plasma cholesterol level and recent suicidal attempts in patients with MDD.

BackgroundAdolescents are at a heightened risk of suicide reattempts following hospital discharge, but few evidence-based interventions exist. This study evaluated the efficacy of the self-awareness of mental health (SAM) program combined with treatment as usual (TAU) versus TAU alone in reducing reattempts among high-risk adolescents.MethodsA randomized clinical trial was conducted across nine Spanish hospitals (January 2021–March 2024) with 261 adolescents (12–17 years) who had attempted suicide within the last 15 days. Participants were assigned to SAM + TAU (n=128) or TAU (n=133), with 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome was suicide reattempts within 12 months; secondary analyses examined time to reattempt and associated risk factors.ResultsAfter 12-months, no significant differences were found in reattempt rates [22.6% (SAM) versus 27.8% (TAU); OR=0.610, 95%CI (0.321–1.151), p=0.127] or time to reattempt [HR=0.606, 95%CI (0.390–1.021), p=0.060]. In SAM, attentional impulsivity emerged as a significant risk factor [HR=1.126, 95% CI (1.004–1.263), p=0.043], while nonplanning impulsivity was protective [HR=0.878, 95%CI (0.814–0.948), p<0.001]. In TAU, increased suicide risk was linked to suicidal intentionality [HR=1.341, 95%CI (1.009–1.782), p=0.044] and more prior attempts [HR=1.230, 95%CI (1.039–1.457), p=0.016]. Conversely, fewer psychiatric diagnoses emerged as a protective factor [HR=0.821, 95%CI (0.677–0.996), p=0.045].ConclusionsWhile no significant differences were found between groups, SAM identified important psychological factors influencing suicide risk. These findings provide a foundation for targeted interventions to prevent reattempts in adolescents.

Background Despite increasing investment in suicide prevention, Australian suicide rates have increased steadily in the past decade. In response to growing evidence for multicomponent intervention models for reducing suicide, the LifeSpan model has been developed as the first multicomponent, evidence-based, system-wide approach to suicide prevention in Australia. The LifeSpan model consists of nine evidence-based strategies. These include indicated, selective and universal interventions which are delivered simultaneously to community and healthcare systems over a 2-year implementation period. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the LifeSpan model in reducing suicide attempts and suicide deaths in four geographically defined regions in New South Wales, Australia. Methods We outline the protocol for a stepped-wedge, cluster randomized controlled trial. Following a 6-month transition phase, the trial sites will move to the 2-year active implementation phase in 4-monthly intervals with evaluation extending a minimum of 24 months after establishment of the full active period. Analysis will be undertaken of the change attributable to the invention across the four sites. The primary outcome for the study is the rate of attempted suicide in the regions involved. Rate of suicide deaths within each site is a secondary outcome. Discussion If proven effective, the LifeSpan model for suicide prevention could be more widely delivered in Australian communities, providing a valuable new approach to tackle rising suicide rates. LifeSpan has the potential to significantly contribute to the mental health of Australians by improving help-seeking for suicide, facilitating early detection, and improving aftercare to reduce re-attempts. The findings from this research should also contribute to the evidence base for multilevel suicide prevention programs internationally. Trial registration Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Register, ID: ACTRN12617000457347 . Prospectively registered on 28 March 2017. https://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx#&&conditionCode=&dateOfRegistrationFrom=&interventionDescription=&interventionCodeOperator=OR&primarySponsorType=&gender=&distance=&postcode=&pageSize=20&ageGroup=&recruitmentCountryOperator=OR Protocol Version: 1.0, 31 May 2019.

Background Suicide has become a first-order public health concern, especially following the negative impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of the general population. Few studies have analysed the effects of early psychotherapeutic interventions on subjects who have attempted suicide, and even fewer have focused on those hospitalized in non-psychiatric units after a Medically Serious Suicide Attempt (MSSA). The main aim of this study is to describe the protocol designed to evaluate the effectiveness of individual psychological treatment for patients hospitalized after an MSSA. The secondary objectives of the study are: (1) to evaluate the impact on quality of life and other psychosocial variables of patients with a recent MSSA who receive early psychological intervention; (2) to analyse the biological, psychological, and clinical impact of early psychotherapeutic treatment on subjects hospitalized after an MSSA. Methods A longitudinal randomised controlled trial will be conducted with patients over 16 years of age admitted to two general hospitals. The case intervention group will enrol for 8-sessions of individual psychotherapy, Suicide Attempts Multi-component Intervention Treatment (SAMIT), combining Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT), and Narrative approaches, while the control group will receive a treatment-as-usual intervention (TAU). Longitudinal assessment will be conducted at baseline (before treatment), post-treatment, and 3, 6, and 12 months after. The main outcome variable will be re-attempting suicide during follow-up. Discussion Some psychotherapeutic interventions, usually implemented in outpatient, have proven to be effective in preventing suicidal behaviours. The combination of some of these may be a powerful treatment for preventing future SA in patients hospitalised after an MSSA, which is the most severely suicidal subgroup. Moreover, assessment of the biological, clinical and psychometric impact of this new intervention on patients during the first year after the attempt may help understand some of the multi-level factors associated with the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in MSSAs. The prevalence of high suicide rates requires the design of effective psychological interventions for their prevention, and also in order to design new pharmacological and psychological treatments. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06238414. Date of registration: 1st February 2024, final update is protocol version 3.0, 19th March 2024.

Background Given the limited research focusing on psychotherapeutic interventions for suicide attempters, it is noteworthy that the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) has demonstrated promising results in previous studies. In this investigation, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of ASSIP across diverse healthcare settings, outlining the study design and planned evaluation. Methods Using a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design with four assessment points (baseline, 3, 12- and 24-month follow-up), we aim to assess the effect of the 3-session psychotherapeutic intervention and hereafter brief contact via structured letters during 2 years in a clinical sample of recent suicide attempters (suicide attempts within three months before inclusion). Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups; treatment as usual plus ASSIP or the control condition, treatment as usual. Assessments include measures of suicidal intent, coping, symptoms of depression, quality of life, self-stigma, and sick leave. The primary outcome is suicide attempt(s) within 3, 12, and 24 months and the secondary outcome is suicidal ideation within the same time frames after study inclusion. Discussion Findings from this study will provide novel insights regarding the effects of ASSIP on not only subsequent suicidal behavior but also other outcomes including self-stigma, quality of life, social network, sick leave, and symptoms of depression. Trial registration The trial was registered at ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04746261 on 2020-10-15.

Background Existing suicide risk screening and detection methods are unable to reliably identify who will engage in suicidal behavior (SB), and when. Modeling the “push-pull” among risk and protective processes could be useful for understanding when patients may be at increased risk for transitioning from lower to higher risk states. This study examines if changing temporal dynamics in wish to live (WTL) and wish to die (WTD) ratings, assessed during consecutively scheduled psychiatric outpatient visits, can differentiate patients who will attempt suicide and signal when suicidal behavior is about to occur. Methods 78 adults with past-month suicidal ideation and/or suicidal behaviors who enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing two outpatient psychotherapies provided weekly WTL and WTD ratings assessed with the first two items of the Scale for Suicide Ideation and weekly occurrence of suicide attempts assessed with items from the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Revised. Results Session-to-session changes in WTL and WTD were examined using multilevel regression modeling supplemented by eigenvalue decomposition analysis. Temporal patterns significantly differed over time between patients who attempted suicide versus patients who did not. Temporal patterns remained consistent over time among patients who did not attempt suicide. Among patients who attempted, temporal patterns changed from pre- to post-attempt, consistent with a state transition. Conclusions Suicidal behaviors represent a state transition that is foreshadowed by unique temporal patterns in self-reported WTL and WTD.

Suicide and suicidal behavior during adolescence have been steadily increasing over the past two decades. The preponderance of interventions focuses on crisis intervention, underlying psychiatric disorders, regulating negative affect, and reducing cognitive distortions. However, low positive affectivity may be a mechanism that contributes to adolescent suicidal ideation and behaviors independent of other risk factors. Skills to Enhance Positivity (STEP) is an acceptance-based intervention, designed to increase attention to, and awareness of, positive affect and positive experiences. Results from a pilot RCT demonstrated engagement of the target (positive affect) and a decrease in clinical outcomes (suicidal events; i.e., either a suicide attempt or an emergency intervention for an acute suicidal crisis), providing support to test the clinical effectiveness of STEP in a larger clinical trial with clinical staff implementing the intervention. To test the effectiveness of STEP, compared to Enhanced Treatment as Usual (ETAU), in reducing suicidal events and ideation in adolescents admitted to inpatient psychiatric care due to suicide risk. We hypothesize that those randomized to STEP, compared to ETAU, will have lower rates of suicide events, active suicidal ideation (SI), and depressed mood over the 6-month follow-up period. We hypothesize that those randomized to STEP, compared to ETAU, will demonstrate greater improvement in the hypothesized mechanisms of attention to positive affect stimuli and gratitude and satisfaction with life. Participants will be randomized to either STEP or ETAU. STEP consists of four in-person sessions focused on psychoeducation regarding positive and negative affect, mindfulness meditation, gratitude, and savoring. Mood monitoring prompts and skill reminders will be sent via text messaging daily for the first month post-discharge and every other day for the following two months. The ETAU condition will receive text-delivered reminders to use a safety plan provided at discharge from the hospital and healthy habits messages, matched in frequency to the STEP group. This trial was registered on 6 August 2021 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04994873). The STEP protocol was approved by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Data and Safety Monitoring Board on March 4, 2022. The RCT is currently in progress. The STEP protocol is an innovative, adjunctive treatment that has the potential to have positive effects on adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts beyond that found for standard treatment alone.