Trial Outcomes & Findings for Peer Based Suicide Prevention (NCT NCT04222673)

NCT ID: NCT04222673

Last Updated: 2025-11-05

Results Overview

To assess depression symptoms, the investigators will use the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) which consists of 16 questions to assess depression severity. The QIDS has demonstrated high reliability, validity, and sensitivity to treatment change, including among Veterans. Range=0-27. Higher scores represent increasing severity of depression.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

17 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

Results posted on

2025-11-05

Participant Flow

Given the nature of the subject matter (suicide), recruitment for the study was extremely challenging. Therefore, instead of having a pre-pilot and then a formal pilot, we collected data all at once in one pilot. That is why we are reporting the data all together in one group. Also, the 'needs assessment' process was simply informal qualitative discussions with various stakeholders that helped us adapt the programs to the VA. That is why the information is not reported here.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Peer Specialist
The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future. Peer Specialist Suicide Prevention: The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future.
Overall Study
STARTED
17
Overall Study
COMPLETED
12
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
5

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Peer Specialist
The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future. Peer Specialist Suicide Prevention: The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future.
Overall Study
Lost to Follow-up
5

Baseline Characteristics

Peer Based Suicide Prevention

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future. Peer Specialist Suicide Prevention: The intervention will last 3-months, a time frame that overlaps with the typical duration of a VA suicide high risk flag. Meetings will be 30-45 minutes and occur primarily in the community, home, or by telephone. Session content will be rooted in Peer Specialists (PSs) offering nonjudgmental empathic support, active listening, and constructive disclosure and role modeling. A primary focus will be helping patients with flags to identify and strengthen connections with informal supports and participation in activities in their community that will enable them to feel more worthwhile as individuals and hopeful about their future.
Age, Continuous
51.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 17.7 • n=15 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
1 Participants
n=15 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
11 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
6 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
6 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=15 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=15 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
12 Participants
n=15 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

The Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery (QPR), contains 15 items that measure connectedness, hope, identity, meaning, and empowerment. The QPR has demonstrated high internal and convergent validity as well as sensitivity to change. Range=0-60. High scores reflect greater connectedness, hope, positive identify, meaning, and empowerment.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Questionnaire About the Process of Recovery (QPR) Change
Baseline
48.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 10.9
Questionnaire About the Process of Recovery (QPR) Change
Post
50.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.9

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

a 12-item index shown to be reliable (a=.97) and valid, correlating with the Existential Well-Being Scale (r=.84) and the Hopelessness Scale (r=-.73). Scoring consists of summing the points for each item (ranges from 1 - least amount of hope to 4, indicating the most amount of hope) to make a total scale. Total possible points on the total scale is 48 points; the lowest is 12. The higher the score the higher the level of hope.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Hearth Hope Index
Baseline
27.5 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 6.84
Hearth Hope Index
Post
29.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.93

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

The Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS), contains18 items that assess thoughts of unlovability, unsolvability, and unbearability. The SCS has strong psychometric qualities in diverse samples (including Veterans) with incremental validity to predicting suicidal behavior beyond depression, INQ scores, prior attempts, and suicidal ideation. Range 18-90. Higher scores reflected greater sense of unlovability and inability to cope

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS) Change
Baseline
38.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.78
Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS) Change
Post
36.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.2

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

The Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) uses 15 items to measure two underlying motives for suicidal desire (i.e., perceived burden and thwarted belonging). The INQ has established validity and reliability, including with on Veterans. Range 15-105. Higher scores associated with greater sense of perceived burden and thwarted belongingness.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Change - Perceived Burden
Baseline
20.7 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 9.56
Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Change - Perceived Burden
Post
20.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 11.7

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

The Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) uses 15 items to measure two underlying motives for suicidal desire (i.e., perceived burden and thwarted belonging). The INQ has established validity and reliability, including with on Veterans. Range 15-105. Higher scores associated with greater sense of perceived burden and thwarted belongingness.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Change - Thwarted Belonging
Baseline
37.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.02
Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) Change - Thwarted Belonging
Post
41.1 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.86

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

To assess depression symptoms, the investigators will use the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) which consists of 16 questions to assess depression severity. The QIDS has demonstrated high reliability, validity, and sensitivity to treatment change, including among Veterans. Range=0-27. Higher scores represent increasing severity of depression.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) Change
Baseline
19.4 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.51
Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) Change
Post
17.3 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 8.34

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

Suicide measures will include the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to assess suicidal ideation (past 30 days) and behaviors (past 3 months). Suicide ideation items include: (1) wish to be dead, (2) nonspecific active suicidal thoughts, (3) suicidal thoughts with methods, (4) suicidal intent, and (5) suicidal intent with plan. The suicidal behavior subscales include: (1) attempts (actual, aborted interrupted), (2) preparatory behavior, and (3) non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. Range= 0-10. Higher scores represent increasing presence of suicide-related behaviors and thoughts.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) - Suicidal Ideation
Baseline
2.67 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 1.78
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) - Suicidal Ideation
Post
1.08 score on a scale
Standard Deviation .99

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, post intervention (12 weeks)

Suicide measures will include the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to assess suicidal ideation (past 30 days) and behaviors (past 3 months). Suicide ideation items include: (1) wish to be dead, (2) nonspecific active suicidal thoughts, (3) suicidal thoughts with methods, (4) suicidal intent, and (5) suicidal intent with plan. The suicidal behavior subscales include: (1) attempts (actual, aborted interrupted), (2) preparatory behavior, and (3) non-suicidal self-injurious behavior. Range= 0-25. Higher scores represent increasing presence of suicide-related behaviors and thoughts.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Peer Specialist
n=12 Participants
3 month PREVAIL intervention
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) - Suicidal Ideation Intensity
Baseline
11.8 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 4.99
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) - Suicidal Ideation Intensity
Post
9.42 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.69

Adverse Events

Peer Specialist

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Matthew Chinman

Pittsburgh VA

Phone: 8184813909

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place