Latino/a Adolescents With Suicidal Behavior

Summary

The study is about developing the best aftercare treatment possible for Latino/a adolescents who have been hospitalized in a psychiatric unit due to a suicidal crisis (suicidal thoughts or attempts). The treatment's purpose is to help adolescents and their caregivers develop skills to prevent future suicidal crises. Latino/a adolescents usually report more suicidal behavior than other ethnic groups. The question that the investigators want to answer is if a new treatment (socio-cognitive behavioral therapy-(SCBT)) developed to their specific needs, taking into account their culture and aspects of adolescence, performs better than the treatment that they usually receive. Forty six adolescents were recruited from the Bradley Hospital adolescent inpatient unit or the Hasbro Inpatient Medical \& Psychiatric Program, or referred to Gateway Healthcare after discharge from other inpatient units in Rhode Island; half of them were assigned randomly to the treatment they would usually receive (TAU) and the other half to the new treatment (SCBT). In both groups, caregivers and adolescents completed questionnaires and interviews before the beginning of treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the treatment begin. Questions to the participants were related to their presenting symptoms, family, social group, problems, and other similar topics. Also, participants were asked about their satisfaction with the treatment they were receiving. The purpose of the questionnaires and interviews are to follow their progress in therapy. At the end, comparisons will be made between the group who participated in TAU and the group who participated in the SCBT, based on the assessment results from the adolescents and caregivers.

Conditions

• Suicide

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

S-CBT

The SCBT-SB protocol has 3 phases. Phase I, which is fixed (core sessions), includes 9 sessions (1 family, 5 individual \& 3 caretakers sessions). Topics include: understanding the suicidal crisis, identity in adolescence, chain analysis, communication skills, the power of thought and decision making, parenting skills, rearing in a different culture, and family communication. Phase II is flexible and consists of coping skills modules (thoughts, emotional regulation, social interactions, activities, substance abuse, family communication \& trauma). The treatment plan is adjusted to adolescents' needs. Family and primary caregiver sessions are flexible, depending on the family/caregivers' needs. Participants have received an adequate course of treatment if they at least complete the core sessions. This protocol should take 3-6 months. Once the active phase ends, booster sessions are recommended.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as Usual

Intensive outpatient therapy with teens and their parents using a variety of eclectic treatments that characterize standard care for adolescents.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Puerto Rico

  collaborator OTHER

• Brown University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• 02915 02915, Ph.D. · Brown University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

17 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-01-31

Primary Completion

2018-07-31

Completion

2018-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations