A Comparison of Brief Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program

NCT ID: NCT04072666

Last Updated: 2019-08-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

411 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-10-01

Study Completion Date

2022-12-31

Brief Summary

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The aim of this project is to assess if adding one of two structured suicide specific psychological interventions to a standardised clinical care approach improves outcomes for consumers presenting to a Mental Health Service with a suicide attempt.

The standardised care approach involves a Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) modelled on the Zero Suicide Framework.

The Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) is a manualised therapy composed of three therapy sessions following a suicide attempt, with subsequent follow up over two years with personalised mailed letters. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-Based Psychoeducational Intervention is a manualised approach involving brief CBT for suicide in five 60 minute sessions. The intervention incorporates skills development and emphasises internal self-management.

We will compare outcomes for:

1. The Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) + SPP, versus SPP alone
2. Five Sessions of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) + SPP, versus SPP alone
3. CBT + SPP versus ASSIP + SPP.

Hypotheses:

1. The use of suicide specific psychological interventions (ASSIP; CBT) combined with a comprehensive clinical suicide prevention pathway (SPP) will have better outcomes than the clinical suicide prevention pathway alone.
2. Outcomes for the ASSIP + SPP and CBT + SPP will significantly differ.
3. Cost-benefit analyses will significantly differ between ASSIP and CBT.

Detailed Description

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Key literature: Treatment approaches for suicide: The efficacy of various suicide prevention interventions has been the subject of research for some time, and includes a number of recent systematic reviews (e.g. Zalsman et al., 2016), and Gould, Greenberg, Velting, and Shaffer (2003) reviewed suicide prevention strategies specifically used with young people. Current national suicide prevention programs have highlighted the knowledge that suicide is a behaviour that stems from a complex and multifaceted set of circumstances and individual characteristics. These factors can be present across the human lifespan and occur across multiple cultural and community settings. The complex heterogeneous nature of the factors influencing suicide rates requires a collaborative and coordinated systems approach, incorporating strategies simultaneously implemented across multiple levels, including service systems, individualised interventions and community prevention. Despite this recognition, there remains a significant gap in the evidence base regarding the most effective interventions for use with suicide at the hospital service level.

In 2015, the Gold Coast Mental Heath and Specialist Services (GCMHSS) undertook a review of frameworks for suicide prevention to guide planning and choice of interventions, as well as enhancing the capability of the service and staff to provide interventions aimed at addressing the needs of people presenting as a result of a suicide attempt. Interventions were sought with available evidence of efficacy, based on outcomes obtained in clinical, controlled trials (particularly those suitable for the top six diagnostic related groups for mental health presenting to the Gold Coast Hospital Health Service (GCHHS), with the aim to provide recommendations for service wide implementation. The top six high priority mental health diagnostic groups included: schizophrenia \& related disorders, mood/affective disorders, alcohol \& substance related disorders, personality disorders, suicidal behaviours, and stress/adjustment/situational crisis. Two of the interventions that demonstrated the strongest quality of evidence included the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based psychological intervention.

This is a randomised controlled trial, with blinding of those assessing the outcomes.

Primary outcome measures: Representation to hospital with suicide attempt and/or suicidal ideations within 7, 14, 30 and 90 days post intervention. Death by suicide rates will also be examined. Death clearly assessed as not involving self-harm will be represented as not completing the study.

Secondary outcome measures: Self-reported level of suicidality, depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, problem solving skills and self- and therapist-reported level of therapeutic engagement.

Cost-benefit measures are assessed for both interventions.

All consumers who attempt suicide during the trial period, and are 16 years of age and older, will be offered the opportunity to join the trial. Specific demographic questions will identify the numbers of people who fall within specific target groups to enable a determination regarding any differences in the results being statistically significant.

A consumer/carer representative will participate on the research team, to inform the research and ensure sensitivity to the experiences of consumers with lived experience.

Conditions

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Suicide, Attempted

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Randomisation will occur after recruitment. Participants will be randomised to either SPP, SPP alone + ASSIP or SPP + CBT. An intent-to-treat approach will be used and all participants randomly assigned to treatment groups using the ralloc command of Stata, which will employ block randomisation.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors
Given the clear differences in interventions, participants and those administering the interventions will not be blinded. However, those analysing data and assessing the outcomes will be blinded to group assignment.

Study Groups

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ASSIP plus SPP

Participants in the ASSIP group will receive a combination of the comprehensive clinical SPP (i.e. standardised assessment, risk evaluation and formulation, safety planning and follow-up), and the ASSIP psychological intervention where they will receive three therapy sessions followed by regular ongoing contact through individually focused letters sent over 24 months.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The first session is based on a narrative interview with the consumer relating the personal story of how the point of attempting suicide was reached, videorecorded with consent. The second session involves the therapist and consumer watching the session together to reactivate the consumer's mental state during the crisis in a safe environment. Automatic thoughts, emotions, psychological pain and stress, and contingent behaviour are discussed. A psycho-educative handout is given to consumers. The third session involves discussing the handout. A credit card size leaflet is provided, with long term goals, individual warning signs and safety strategies listed, in addition to a card with crisis phone numbers. The sessions are followed by letters sent over 24 months (Michel, Valach \& Gysin-Maillart, 2017).

Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The standardised care approach involves a Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) modelled on the Zero Suicide Framework, utilising comprehensive chronological assessment of suicide events (CASE) (Shea, 2009) to elicit suicidal intent, the prevention orientated risk formulation (Pisani, Murrie, \& Silverman, 2016), brief interventions conducted with the consumer during their initial assessment prior to the treatment setting (Stanley et al., 2016), Safety Planning Intervention, Counselling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), brief patient/carer information, rapid, structured follow up, safe transitions of care and caring contacts (Fleischmann et al., 2008). The SPP is supported by a blended learning course with online and face-to-face training for staff.

CBT plus SPP

Participants in the CBT group will receive a combination of the comprehensive clinical SPP (i.e. standardised assessment, risk evaluation and formulation, safety planning and follow-up), and the CBT psychological intervention where they will receive five CBT 60-minute individual sessions.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The intervention incorporates skills development and emphasises internal self-management. Therapy focuses on the identification of internal, external and/or thematic triggers for suicidal thinking and behaviours, as well as factors that maintain the desire to suicide, using thought records and/or chain analyses. Therapy aims to challenge distortions and misconceptions, including core beliefs that interfere with the motivation to initiate the process of problem solving and distress tolerance, by working on acceptance of emotional and/or physical pain. The final phase of treatment focuses on relapse prevention. CBT can challenge maladaptive beliefs, improve problem solving skills and social competence.

Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The standardised care approach involves a Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) modelled on the Zero Suicide Framework, utilising comprehensive chronological assessment of suicide events (CASE) (Shea, 2009) to elicit suicidal intent, the prevention orientated risk formulation (Pisani, Murrie, \& Silverman, 2016), brief interventions conducted with the consumer during their initial assessment prior to the treatment setting (Stanley et al., 2016), Safety Planning Intervention, Counselling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), brief patient/carer information, rapid, structured follow up, safe transitions of care and caring contacts (Fleischmann et al., 2008). The SPP is supported by a blended learning course with online and face-to-face training for staff.

SPP alone

The Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) comprises seven steps:

i) Initial screening - persons experiencing suicide ideation and who may also have a history of, or recent, suicide attempt, are placed on the pathway; ii) Assessment of suicide risk iii) Formulation of suicide risk (based on a prevention oriented approach) iv) Safety planning (collaboratively developed with the client) and Counselling on access to lethal means v) Structured follow-up (within 24-48 hrs); vi) Transition of care plan; and vii) Caring contacts - ongoing contact/support for the person for the next 2 years (through personalised letters or phone texts).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The standardised care approach involves a Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) modelled on the Zero Suicide Framework, utilising comprehensive chronological assessment of suicide events (CASE) (Shea, 2009) to elicit suicidal intent, the prevention orientated risk formulation (Pisani, Murrie, \& Silverman, 2016), brief interventions conducted with the consumer during their initial assessment prior to the treatment setting (Stanley et al., 2016), Safety Planning Intervention, Counselling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), brief patient/carer information, rapid, structured follow up, safe transitions of care and caring contacts (Fleischmann et al., 2008). The SPP is supported by a blended learning course with online and face-to-face training for staff.

Interventions

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Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP)

The first session is based on a narrative interview with the consumer relating the personal story of how the point of attempting suicide was reached, videorecorded with consent. The second session involves the therapist and consumer watching the session together to reactivate the consumer's mental state during the crisis in a safe environment. Automatic thoughts, emotions, psychological pain and stress, and contingent behaviour are discussed. A psycho-educative handout is given to consumers. The third session involves discussing the handout. A credit card size leaflet is provided, with long term goals, individual warning signs and safety strategies listed, in addition to a card with crisis phone numbers. The sessions are followed by letters sent over 24 months (Michel, Valach \& Gysin-Maillart, 2017).

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

The intervention incorporates skills development and emphasises internal self-management. Therapy focuses on the identification of internal, external and/or thematic triggers for suicidal thinking and behaviours, as well as factors that maintain the desire to suicide, using thought records and/or chain analyses. Therapy aims to challenge distortions and misconceptions, including core beliefs that interfere with the motivation to initiate the process of problem solving and distress tolerance, by working on acceptance of emotional and/or physical pain. The final phase of treatment focuses on relapse prevention. CBT can challenge maladaptive beliefs, improve problem solving skills and social competence.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP)

The standardised care approach involves a Suicide Prevention Pathway (SPP) modelled on the Zero Suicide Framework, utilising comprehensive chronological assessment of suicide events (CASE) (Shea, 2009) to elicit suicidal intent, the prevention orientated risk formulation (Pisani, Murrie, \& Silverman, 2016), brief interventions conducted with the consumer during their initial assessment prior to the treatment setting (Stanley et al., 2016), Safety Planning Intervention, Counselling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), brief patient/carer information, rapid, structured follow up, safe transitions of care and caring contacts (Fleischmann et al., 2008). The SPP is supported by a blended learning course with online and face-to-face training for staff.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Consumers aged 16 years and above residing in the Gold Coast catchment area
* Presenting to the Gold Coast Hospital with a recent suicide attempt and then placed on the Suicide Prevention Pathway.

Exclusion Criteria

* Refusal of, or inability to, consent
* People who are already receiving specialised psychological interventions (such as CBT) will be excluded due to the potential confounding effect, but not people taking psychotropic medication
Minimum Eligible Age

16 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Bond University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Chris Stapelberg, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gold Coast Health and Bond University

Kathryn Turner, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gold Coast Health

Sabine Woerwag-Mehta, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gold Coast Health and Bond University

Sarah Walker, Psy.D

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gold Coast Health

Anthony Pisani, Ph.D

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Rochester

Konrad Michel, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Bern University Hospital

Locations

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Gold Coast Hospital Health

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Site Status

Countries

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Australia

Central Contacts

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Chris Stapelberg, MD

Role: CONTACT

0405015430

Facility Contacts

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Chris Stapelberg, MD

Role: primary

0405015430

References

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Other Identifiers

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APP1164644

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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