At a glance
ClinicalIndex Comparison Record- ✓Veteran identified at moderate suicide risk with evidence of current suicidal ideation within past week and plan or intent on C-SSRS, but C-SSRS Behavior Scale score ≤4
- ✓No history of lethal suicide attempt in the last 3 months
- ✓Availability of a consenting, qualifying family member or spouse/cohabiting partner
- ✓Family member meets at least 3 of 5 criteria: spouse/cohabiting partner/parent, most frequent contact, financial support, emergency contact, or involved in treatment
- ✕Untreated or unmedicated psychosis
- ✕Current alcohol or drug abuse or dependence
- ✕For couples, severe intimate-partner violence as defined by CTS2S
- ✕Participation in another family-based psychosocial intervention trial in 6 months prior to study
Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.
SAFER: A Brief Intervention Involving Family Members in Suicide Safety Planning
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Safe Actions for Families to Encourage Recovery and Individual Safety Planning Intervention for Suicide. Completed, enrolled 78 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
The management of suicide risk is a pressing national public health issue especially among Veterans, and there exist no guidelines of how best to involve family members in this effort. This proposal will integrate family and couples communication skills training with suicide safety planning. The goal is for the sharing of Veteran suicide safety plans with family members and the construction of a parallel family member safety plan, in efforts to mobilize and support family involvement.
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
A novel, 5-session intervention to enhance currently mandated VA suicide safety planning by involving family members to support its implementation. Incorporation of education about suicide risk factors and teaching communication skills of active listening and making a positive request will supply Veterans and family members with the knowledge and tools needed to 1) identify potential warning signs, and 2) discuss Veteran ideation or family concerns with assurance that such requests will be listened to with validation and support, creating an ally for the suicidal Veteran in his struggle. As discussed above, research has demonstrated compellingly that suicidal desire is motivated by two interpersonal factors; perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. SAFER aims to increase family support for the Veteran to directly mitigate Veteran loneliness and sense of being a burden to others.
The comparison condition will be an assessment-only enhanced treatment-as-usual intervention called the Individual Safety Planning Intervention (I-SPI).