Breaking Down Barriers to a Suicide Prevention Helpline: Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Suicidology
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Many individuals completing online suicide risk self-tests have severe suicidal thoughts but hesitate to contact helplines.
• Only a small percentage of high-risk individuals utilize direct contact options after self-assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief barrier reduction intervention (BRI) in motivating individuals with severe suicidal thoughts to contact a suicide prevention helpline.
• To assess BRI effectiveness in high-risk groups, including men and middle-aged individuals.

Main Methods:

• A fully automated, web-based randomized controlled trial was conducted.
• Participants with severe suicidal thoughts and low motivation to contact the helpline were randomized to either a BRI or a control group (care as usual).
• Primary outcome was the use of a direct helpline contact link; secondary outcomes included self-reported likelihood of contact and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• The BRI group (33.1%) did not show a significantly higher rate of immediate helpline contact compared to the control group (35.7%).
• However, the BRI group reported a significantly higher likelihood of contacting the helpline later and greater satisfaction with the self-test.
• Results were comparable for male and middle-aged participants.

Conclusions:

• The BRI successfully engaged high-risk individuals hesitant to seek immediate help, indicating potential for future interventions.
• While not increasing immediate contact, the BRI positively influenced future contact likelihood and user satisfaction.
• Further research should explore additional BRI components to enhance effectiveness, particularly for specific demographics like men and middle-aged individuals.