Depression and Anxiety Reduction Treatment for Suicide (DARTS)

Experimental: Anxiety Risk Reduction

The anxiety risk reduction condition will be a combination of psychoeducation plus Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM-I) for anxiety sensitivity (AS). The psychoeducational component will focus on the nature of stress and its effect on the body. Interoceptive exposure (IE) exercises, designed to correct the conditioned fear to these bodily sensations, will be explained and practiced.

Verhalten: Psychoeducation and Cognitive Bias Modification

Experimental: Mood Risk Reduction

The mood risk reduction condition will be a combination of psychoeducation plus Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM-I) for perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. The psychoeducational component will focus on dispelling myths related to burdensomeness and belongingness and describe their role in the development of mood symptoms.

Verhalten: Psychoeducation and Cognitive Bias Modification

Experimental: Combined Risk Reduction

The combined intervention will involve all of the interventions in the anxiety and mood risk reduction conditions and thus will not be matched for length.

Verhalten: Psychoeducation and Cognitive Bias Modification

Kein Eingriff: Repeated Contact Control

Participants assigned to the repeated contact group will be assigned a "personal" study coordinator. The coordinator will contact them at specific intervals during the study. The rationale for these contacts will be provided (e.g., checking in on their status and helping to administer some brief measures). During the three weeks (corresponding to treatment session intervals for those in one of the active treatment conditions), the study coordinator will contact the participant once per week for a brief phone check in where suicide risk will be evaluated. Participants in the control group will also meet with their study coordinator during each of the scheduled follow-up visits.

Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ)

The INQ is a 15-item self-report measure of the constructs of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness as defined by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Van Orden et al. report high internal consistency coefficients for the thwarted belongingness (α=.85) and perceived burdensomeness subscales (α=.89). In support of construct validity, both subscales were found to prospectively predict suicidal ideation.

Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3)

The ASI-3 is an 18-item self-report measure of anxiety sensitivity (AS). This scale was developed to provide a more stable measure of the three most widely recognized AS subfactors (cognitive, social and physical concerns) than the original ASI provides. Each subfactor is represented by six items. The measure has shown good psychometric properties.

Beck Suicide Scale (BSS)

The BSS is a 21-item widely used self-report measure assessing a broad spectrum of behaviors and attitudes related to suicide risk, including suicidal ideation and past suicide attempts. It has demonstrated strong reliability and validity.