NCT03571750

Building Stronger Allies

"Building Stronger Allies": Development and Evaluation of a Web Application Targeting Interpersonal Risk Factors for Suicide in Active Duty Service Members

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 233 (actual)
• Sponsor: Florida State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

BSA is a novel, computerized intervention specifically designed for active military personnel with the intent to reduce two risk factors known to be associated with suicide outcomes.

Detailed description

The investigators have focused on the identification of malleable risk factors for preventative intervention in a number of types of psychopathology including suicidality. In the case of Perceived Burdensomeness (PB) and Thwarted Belongingness (TB), theory suggests that they may be malleable, though this has received little empirical attention. Taken together, the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide and related empirical literature suggest that targeting PB/TB should offer a novel and important avenue to reduce suicidality. This inspired the investigators' efforts to create and evaluate an intervention - called Building Stronger Allies (BSA) - designed to reduce these factors.

Conditions

• Suicide
• Risk Reduction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Building Stronger Allies	BSA was developed to model the educational and behavioral techniques commonly employed in the treatment of individuals with mood psychopathology. The psychoeducation portion uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy principles to correct problematic ideas and behaviors related to PB/TB. More specifically, the program was designed to correct "myths" regarding PB/TB. The program emphasizes the idea that social interaction is a critical need, just like other basic needs such as the need for food and water. Participants are taught that negative beliefs about being isolated and being a burden are usually inaccurate. Following this, behavioral activation techniques are introduced as a way to decrease isolation and feelings of burdensomeness.
BEHAVIORAL	Health Education Training	In the HET condition, participants will spend approximately the same amount of time with a program that will present information regarding the importance and benefits of a maintaining a healthy lifestyle and then will provide guidelines to achieve a healthy lifestyle. HET is shown to engage participants with beneficial information while being inert with respect to the risk mechanisms of interest (i.e., PB/TB). The program covers a number of health related topics including: diet, alcohol use, water consumption, exercise, and sleep. The program reviews with the Participants how to monitor their own daily health habits, which will be reinforced by the Smartphone application.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-05-01
• Primary completion: 2021-12-31
• Completion: 2022-03-31
• First posted: 2018-06-28
• Last updated: 2022-04-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States