NCT03026127

A Novel Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 107 (actual)
• Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this trial is to refine and test a novel emotion-regulation based psychosocial intervention designed to reduce suicide risk in middle-aged and older adults (50-90 years old) who have been discharged after a suicide-related hospitalization (i.e. for suicidal ideation or suicide attempt).

Detailed description

The Investigators developed a novel psychosocial intervention called "Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention (CRISP)," which aims to improve cognitive reappraisal ability (i.e. the ability to modify the appraisal of a situation to alter its emotional significance) (target), and reduce suicide risk (outcome). The conceptual framework views suicidal ideation and behavior as failed attempts to regulate negative emotions and by improving cognitive reappraisal, an effective emotion regulation strategy, the investigators expect to reduce suicide risk. This theory is supported by studies showing that unsuccessful attempts to regulate negative emotions and decreased cognitive reappraisal are associated with increased suicidal ideation and behavior. The R61 phase is a proof-of-principle phase and its goals are to optimize CRISP and test its engagement with cognitive reappraisal. Certified social workers will administer 12 weekly sessions of CRISP to 40 middle-aged and older adults (50-90 years old) after a suicide-related hospitalization. Research assistants, unaware of the study aims, will conduct assessments at study entry (hospital admission), discharge, 6 and 12 weeks post-discharge. Target engagement will be assessed with EEG assessments during a standard pictured-based stimuli and our novel cognitive reappraisal paradigm. The R33 phase aims to provide further evidence of target engagement of the optimized CRISP in a larger sample, evaluate the relationship of cognitive reappraisal with suicide risk as measured with Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and estimate implementation parameters for a large-scale clinical trial. A different sample of 90 middle-aged and older adults (using the same inclusion/exclusion criteria as for the R61 phase) will be randomized to CRISP or to Supportive Therapy (ST, a control treatment not designed to improve emotion regulation). Assessments will be conducted on admission, at discharge, and at 6, 12 and 24 weeks post-discharge. Primary aims are: 1) CRISP participants will show improvement in cognitive reappraisal ability from discharge to end of treatment; and 2) improvement in cognitive reappraisal ability will be associated with suicide risk over 24 weeks.

Conditions

• Suicide Prevention

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention	Cognitive Reappraisal Intervention for Suicide Prevention, or CRISP, is a psychosocial intervention aimed to reduce suicide risk in middle-aged and older adults who have been hospitalized for suicidal ideation or suicide attempt. CRISP offers a combination of emotion regulation techniques, including changing the subject's perspective or the way he/she thinks to improve emotion reactions. Additional strategies taught include the provision of environmental adaptation tools (notes, checklists, calendars, etc), phone calls, and a tablet application called WellPATH.
BEHAVIORAL	Supportive Therapy	ST focuses on: 1. facilitating expression of affect; 2. conveying to the patient that he or she is understood; 3. offering empathy; and 4. highlighting positive experiences. The ST manual aims to standardize nonspecific therapeutic factors

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-03-28
• Primary completion: 2024-10-03
• Completion: 2024-10-03
• First posted: 2017-01-20
• Last updated: 2025-10-31
• Results posted: 2025-10-31

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States