NCT06803329

Qnnections: Refinement and Pilot Trial of a Suicide Prevention Intervention to Increase Social Connection

Qnnections: A Novel Suicide Prevention Intervention for Increasing Social Connection Among LGBTQ+ Veterans

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 66 (estimated)
• Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Despite the high risk of suicide among LGBTQ+ Veterans, there is currently no suicide-focused intervention for this population. This study will refine and pilot Qnnections, a novel group-based suicide prevention intervention that aims to increase social connection and functioning in this population. The project will involve Veterans with lived experience in further refining Qnnections, and then will examine feasibility and acceptability of Qnnections and of study procedures in a pilot randomized clinical trial.

Detailed description

Theoretical and empirical research consistently identifies perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness as suicide-specific risk factors. This proposal refines and pilots Qnnections, a novel suicide prevention intervention which aims to increase social connection and functioning through improving belongingness and reducing burdensomeness. Phase I (1.5 years) focuses on intervention refinement of Qnnections with a Veteran Advisory Board (n = 8) and expert mentors. In its current form, Qnnections is a 10-week group-based intervention intended to augment Veterans Affairs (VA) suicide prevention efforts, using a cognitive behavioral framework to target social disconnection. After refinement by mentors and Veterans with lived experience, a pilot open trial (n = 10) will engage Veterans and gather acceptability data. Following refinement from Phase 1, Phase 2 (3.5 years) includes a pilot randomized feasibility and acceptability trial (n = 48), with participants randomized to Qnnections (10 group sessions, safety plan, referrals) or an Enhanced Usual Care condition that contains elements of standard VA suicide prevention (safety plan, referrals). Veteran participants in both phases will complete quantitative assessments at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and ten-week follow-up. Qualitative data collection will occur at post-treatment. The focus is feasibility and acceptability of Qnnections and of study procedures.

Conditions

• Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors
• Social Isolation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Qnnections	A novel group-based suicide prevention intervention that augments standard VA mental health services for LGBTQ+ Veterans with current suicidal thoughts or recent suicidal behavior. Informed by the empirically-supported theoretical framework of the interpersonal theory of suicide and prior work tailoring interventions for minority stress, Qnnections is a structured 10-week group that uses a cognitive behavioral framework to target perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Veterans will also receive safety planning and referrals.
BEHAVIORAL	Enhanced Usual Care	The active control condition includes: 1) VA Safety Planning Intervention and 2) referrals to VA and non-VA services relevant to the individual. The safety plan will be conducted by Dr. Chang, a licensed psychologist. Therefore, EUC only differs from the Qnnections condition as it does not have the 10-session Qnnections intervention. EUC is intended to include elements of VA suicide prevention standard practice. The control condition is considered enhanced as all participants will receive these elements, whereas Veterans are not guaranteed to receive all of these services if not enrolled in this study.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-01
• Primary completion: 2030-09-30
• Completion: 2030-09-30
• First posted: 2025-01-31
• Last updated: 2026-03-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States