Advancing Suicide Intervention Strategies for Teens (ASSIST): study protocol for a multisite randomised controlled...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Adolescent Psychiatry

Background:

• Youth experiencing acute suicidality require effective interventions during the transition to outpatient care.
• Current treatments lack sufficient evidence for reducing suicide risk in this vulnerable population.
• There is a critical need for evidence-based strategies to manage and treat drivers of suicidal behavior in adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of the Safety Planning Intervention with structured follow-up (SPI+) and the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) against enhanced usual care.
• To evaluate the impact of SPI+ and CAMS on suicidal events, suicide attempts, and severity of suicidal ideation in youth.
• To explore the mechanisms and moderators influencing treatment outcomes for adolescent suicidality.

Main Methods:

• A three-arm randomized controlled trial design.
• Participants will receive up to eight sessions of SPI+ or CAMS over approximately 8 weeks.
• Primary outcome: suicidal events (death, attempt, preparatory acts, or ideation leading to emergency evaluation/admission). Secondary outcomes: number of suicide attempts and severity of suicidal ideation.

Main Results:

• This section is to be filled once the study is completed and results are available.
• The study is designed to provide robust data on the comparative effectiveness of the interventions.
• Anticipated results will guide clinical practice and policy for youth mental health.

Conclusions:

• This trial will provide crucial evidence on the efficacy of SPI+ and CAMS for youth at high risk for suicide.
• Findings will inform the development of best practices for managing adolescent suicidality post-acute care.
• The study aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of suicidal behavior in young people.