Pilot RCT of a Video-based Intervention for Suicide Prevention

The investigators will develop a brief video-based intervention for suicide prevention, called LifePlans. LifePlans will be tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial (n = 40) to examine its feasibility and acceptability. Investigators will recruit patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital for suicidal thoughts and behaviors who will receive the intervention for 4 weeks post-discharge. Patients will be assessed at hospital baseline, 1 month post-discharge, and 6 months post-discharge.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Suicidal Ideation; Suicide; Suicidal Behaviors
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: LifePlans; Behavioral: Treatment as Usual

Detailed Description

In this project, we propose to develop a new intervention, called LifePlans. LifePlans will consist of brief videos that highlight patients' experiences. Episodes will cover these topics: 1) developing a personalized "Life Plan" to stay safe and restrict means, 2) clarifying valued life domains and related goals to improve hopefulness, 3) using informal problem solving to cope better with illness, 4) improving communication with family/friends to increase social support, and 5) adhering to primary treatments including pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to promote illness management. LifePlans will be tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial (n = 40) to examine its feasibility and acceptability. Investigators will recruit patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital for suicidal thoughts and behaviors who will receive the intervention for 4 weeks post-discharge. Patients will be assessed at hospital baseline, 1 month post-discharge, and 6 months post-discharge.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Rhode Island
    • Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02906
      • Butler Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• current psychiatric hospitalization for suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• 18 years or older
• ability to speak and read English
• access to means for viewing videos (computer, tablet, smartphone)

Exclusion Criteria:

• current psychotic symptoms
• current cognitive impairment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: LifePlans; LifePlans is a video series using real patients telling their stories of overcoming suicidal thoughts and behaviors to help others who are struggling with these issues.	Behavioral: LifePlans; LifePlans is a video-based intervention, in which patients watch episodes starting during a psychiatric hospitalization and continuing through 1 month post-discharge. Other mental health treatment is unrestricted.
Active Comparator: Treatment as Usual; Individuals will receive unrestricted routine care only.	Behavioral: Treatment as Usual; Individuals will receive unrestricted routine mental health care in the community as appropriate for their condition.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)	The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire is a self-report measure of patient satisfaction with treatment. The total score will be used and ranges from 8 to 32 with increased scores indicating greater satisfaction with treatment.	1 Month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)	The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale is an interviewer-rated measure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The total score (sum of items) will be used and ranges from 2 to 25 with higher scores indicating higher suicidal thoughts and behaviors.	1 Month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Butler Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Lisa Uebelacker, PhD, Butler Hospital; Principal Investigator: Brandon Gaudiano, PhD, Butler Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): November 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 12, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 12, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): November 19, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 13, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 12, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Psychiatric Hospitalization
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Self-Injurious Behavior; Suicide Prevention; Suicide; Suicidal Ideation
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1504431

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Upload to NIMH Data Archive
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will be available after the completion of the study and stored permanently.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Refer to NIMH Data Archive for details.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No