Neuropsychological Patterns of Suicide Ideators and Suicide Attempters

NCT ID: NCT06248268

Last Updated: 2026-01-16

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

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

180 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-08-08

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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The present study consists of 3 projects in total and aims to investigate the (neuro-) psychological patterns from suicidal ideation to suicidal behavior as well as the effects and feasibility of ASSIP Home Treatment.

The overall aim of project 1 is to determine (neuro-) psychological differences between suicide attempters, suicide ideators, a clinical control group, and healthy controls. Study participants in project 1 will participate in a one-time (neuro-) psychological assessment.

Project 1 of this study is an observational cross-sectional study with four groups that will be conducted at the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bern (Switzerland): Patients with at least one suicide attempt in their past (SUAT), patients with suicidal ideation (SUID), patients from the same clinical cohort, without neither suicidal behavior or ideation (CLIN) and the healthy group (HLTH). The cohorts to be examined (SUAT \& SUID) will be compared to the two control groups (CLIN \& HLTH). Only people who have signed the informed consent and meet the eligibility criteria can participate in this study.

Detailed Description

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Purpose and aims:

The present study consists of 3 projects in total and aims to investigate the (neuro-) psychological patterns from suicidal ideation to suicidal behavior as well as the effects and feasibility of ASSIP Home Treatment.

The aim of this project is to distinguish the (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicide ideators from suicide attempters by investigating four experimental groups. For this purpose, neuropsychological functioning, as well as psychological process factors, are analyzed. Patients with at least one prior suicide attempt are compared to patients with suicidal ideation, to a clinical control group, as well as to healthy controls. For this project, patients who are being treated at the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bern (Switzerland) at the time of the project will be requested. Afterwards, participants with a suicide attempt in their history will also be asked to participate in the longitudinal part of the study, which is Project 2.

Background:

In Switzerland, approximately three people die by suicide every day, and suicide attempts exceed this number by far. As a previous suicide attempt is one of the strongest predictors of a completed suicide, it is of utmost importance to identify the people at risk. However, research has shown that traditional risk factors (e.g., depression, psychiatric disorder, etc.) reliably predict suicidal ideation but poorly predict suicidal behavior. Furthermore, while effective suicide-specific interventions exist, up to 50% of the suicide attempters reject the recommended treatment, and around 60% discontinue treatment after one session. Hence, a different approach is required. In this study, three projects will be conducted. In Project 1, (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicide attempters will be identified by comparing the following four different groups:

1. patients with a prior suicide attempt (SUAT),
2. patients with no prior suicide attempt but suicidal ideation (SUID),
3. a general patient group (CLIN), and
4. a healthy control group (HLTH).

Project 2 will investigate how these patterns are modulated by the efficacious brief therapy ASSIP. In Project 3, the feasibility, effects and cost-effectiveness of the ASSIP Home Treatment will be investigated.

Study design of Project 1:

Project 1 of this study is a quantitative cross-sectional and observational study with four groups that will be conducted at the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Bern (Switzerland): Patients with at least one suicide attempt in their past (SUAT), patients with suicidal ideation (SUID), patients from the same clinical cohort without suicidal behavior or ideation (CLIN), and the healthy group (HLTH). The cohorts to be examined (SUAT \& SUID) will be compared to two control groups (CLIN \& HLTH). Study participants in Project 1 will participate in a one-time (neuro-) psychological assessment. To account for the heterogeneity in suicide attempters, suicide ideators, generally clinical patients and healthy controls, the samples will be balanced for age, gender and treatment setting by group matching.

Conditions

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Inhibitory Control Locus of Control Self Efficacy Suicide, Attempted Suicidal Ideation Attention

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

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Suicide attempters

Patients with at least one previous suicide attempt

(Neuro-)psychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The measurement, which takes place 1 week after the informed consent, aims to determine the distinct (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicidal behavior versus suicidal ideation, in comparison to two control groups.

Suicide ideators

Patients with suicidal thoughts, but no previous suicide attempt

(Neuro-)psychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The measurement, which takes place 1 week after the informed consent, aims to determine the distinct (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicidal behavior versus suicidal ideation, in comparison to two control groups.

Clinical control group

Patients without suicidal behavior and thoughts

(Neuro-)psychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The measurement, which takes place 1 week after the informed consent, aims to determine the distinct (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicidal behavior versus suicidal ideation, in comparison to two control groups.

Healthy controls

Healthy persons without suicidal behavior and thoughts

(Neuro-)psychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The measurement, which takes place 1 week after the informed consent, aims to determine the distinct (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicidal behavior versus suicidal ideation, in comparison to two control groups.

Interventions

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(Neuro-)psychological assessment

The measurement, which takes place 1 week after the informed consent, aims to determine the distinct (neuro-) psychological patterns of suicidal behavior versus suicidal ideation, in comparison to two control groups.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Informed consent as documented by signature
* Age ≥ 18 years

Additional inclusion criterion for the SUAT group in project 1:

• At least one previous suicide attempt

Additional inclusion criterion for the SUID group in project 1:

• Suicidal ideation

Additional inclusion criterion for the CLIN group in project 1:

Exclusion Criteria

* Serious cognitive impairment
* Any current psychotic disorder
* Any current medication, which substantially impairs the attention span, reaction rate or any other relevant cognitive functions
* Inability to follow the procedures of the study (e.g., insufficient mastery of the German language, previous enrolment into the current study)

Additional exclusion criterion for the SUID group:

• Previous suicidal behavior


* Previous suicidal behavior
* Suicidal ideation

Additional exclusion criterion for the HLTH group:

• Current psychiatric disorder treated on an inpatient, day-care or outpatient basis
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Bern

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Anja C. Gysin-Maillart, PD Dr. phil.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Bern, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Translational Research Center

Lara M. Aschenbrenner, M.Sc.

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University of Bern, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Translational Research Center

Locations

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University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern

Bern, , Switzerland

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Switzerland

Central Contacts

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Anja C. Gysin-Maillart, PD Dr. phil.

Role: CONTACT

+41 (0) 31 632 88 11

Kristina Adorjan, Prof. Dr. med.

Role: CONTACT

+41 (0) 58 630 91 11

Facility Contacts

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Anja C Gysin-Maillart, PD Dr. phil.

Role: primary

0041 31 632 88 11

References

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Peter, C. and A. Tuch, Suizidgedanken und Suizidversuche in der Schweizer Bevölkerung. Obsan Bulletin. Vol. 7. 2019, Nêuchatel. 2019.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Bostwick JM, Pabbati C, Geske JR, McKean AJ. Suicide Attempt as a Risk Factor for Completed Suicide: Even More Lethal Than We Knew. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 1;173(11):1094-1100. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15070854. Epub 2016 Aug 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27523496 (View on PubMed)

Ystgaard M, Arensman E, Hawton K, Madge N, van Heeringen K, Hewitt A, de Wilde EJ, De Leo D, Fekete S. Deliberate self-harm in adolescents: comparison between those who receive help following self-harm and those who do not. J Adolesc. 2009 Aug;32(4):875-91. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.10.010. Epub 2008 Nov 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Klonsky ED, May A. Rethinking impulsivity in suicide. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2010 Dec;40(6):612-9. doi: 10.1521/suli.2010.40.6.612.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21198330 (View on PubMed)

May, A.M. and E.D. Klonsky, What distinguishes suicide attempters from suicide ideators? A meta-analysis of potential factors. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 2016. 23(1): p. 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Lizardi D, Stanley B. Treatment engagement: a neglected aspect in the psychiatric care of suicidal patients. Psychiatr Serv. 2010 Dec;61(12):1183-91. doi: 10.1176/ps.2010.61.12.1183.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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PMID: 25195081 (View on PubMed)

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PMID: 20424092 (View on PubMed)

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Reitan, R.M. and D. Wolfson, Category Test and Trail Making Test as measures of frontal lobe functions. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 1995. 9(1): p. 50-56.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Schwarzer, R. and M. Jerusalem, Skala zur allgemeinen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung. 1999, Berlin: Freie Universität Berlin. 2013.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Sheehan DV, Lecrubier Y, Sheehan KH, Amorim P, Janavs J, Weiller E, Hergueta T, Baker R, Dunbar GC. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59 Suppl 20:22-33;quiz 34-57.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9881538 (View on PubMed)

Beck AT, Steer RA, Ranieri WF. Scale for Suicide Ideation: psychometric properties of a self-report version. J Clin Psychol. 1988 Jul;44(4):499-505. doi: 10.1002/1097-4679(198807)44:43.0.co;2-6.

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PMID: 21831397 (View on PubMed)

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Reference Type BACKGROUND

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7431205 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2021-02504 (Project 1)

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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