Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Replication Trial

Summary

The overall goal for the proposed project is to test the effectiveness of BCBT for the prevention of suicide attempts in a sample of treatment-seeking U.S. military personnel and veterans. The standard null hypothesis will involve tests conducted comparing improvement following BCBT (treatment duration of 12 weeks) to Person-Centered Therapy (PCT). The primary outcome comparisons will include direct markers of suicidality (i.e. suicide, suicide attempts). Secondary outcomes will be suicide ideation and indicators of psychiatric distress (e.g., depression, hopelessness). We also aim to assess several hypothesized psychological and neurocognitive mediators of treatment effects (e.g., wish to live, attentional bias, emotion regulation). Participants will be followed for 2 years posttreatment by independent evaluators blind to treatment condition.

Conditions

• Suicide, Attempted
• Suicidal Ideation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (BCBT)

Participants in BCBT receive 12 outpatient individual psychotherapy sessions scheduled on a weekly or biweekly basis, with the first session lasting 90 minutes and subsequent sessions lasting 60 minutes. BCBT was is delivered in three sequential phases. In phase I (5 sessions), the therapist identifies patient-specific factors that contribute to and maintain suicidal behaviors, provides a cognitive-behavioral conceptualization, collaboratively develops a crisis response plan, and teaches basic emotion regulation skills. In phase II (5 sessions), the therapist applies cognitive strategies to reduce beliefs and assumptions that serve as vulnerabilities to suicidal behavior. In phase III (2 sessions), a relapse prevention task is conducted.

BEHAVIORAL

Present-Centered Therapy (PCT)

Participants in PCT will receive will include 12 outpatient individual psychotherapy sessions scheduled on a weekly or biweekly basis, with the first session lasting 90 minutes and subsequent sessions lasting 60 minutes. PCT consists of (1) psychoeducation about the typical symptoms and features associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors among military personnel; (2) normalization of symptoms; (3) experience of receipt of support and feedback from a licensed professional; and (4) positive interpersonal interactions.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

All participants will receive the following interventions or procedures, regardless of treatment assignment: * Suicide risk assessment using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale * VA's safety planning intervention, which include Military Crisis Line contact information and lethal means access reduction * Caring contacts and outreach * Psychotropic medication, group therapy, substance abuse counseling, and other mental health interventions provided routinely as a part of treatment as usual

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United States Department of Defense

  collaborator FED

• Ohio State University

  collaborator OTHER

• Lowcountry Center for Veterans Research

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Medical University of South Carolina

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Utah

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Craig J Bryan, PsyD, ABPP · Ohio State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-01-22

Primary Completion

2025-08-31

Completion

2025-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations