Suicide Risk Interventions for Veterans

This study is for Veterans who have recently been hospitalized for suicide risk. It compares two types of talk therapy: Enhanced Crisis Response Planning (ECRP) and Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (BCBT). ECRP involves a brief interview and creating a plan to manage crises, while BCBT is a 12-session program focusing on coping skills and changing negative thoughts. Researchers want to see if the longer therapy (BCBT) leads to greater improvements in coping and reduces suicidal thoughts more effectively. They also want to understand if Veterans with a history of multiple suicide attempts benefit more from one therapy over the other. The study aims to enroll 136 Veterans and will measure success by looking at changes in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors over 12 months. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study will randomly assign 136 Veterans to receive one of two psychotherapy treatments. It is not specified if the study is blinded.
What's involved
You would need to attend 12 outpatient treatment sessions and 3 fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) sessions after leaving the hospital.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your self-injurious thoughts and behaviors will be assessed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 months after hospital discharge.

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NCT05931289

Suicide Risk Interventions

Recruiting
PHASE2Ages 18+InterventionalTreatment
VA Office of Research and Development
~136 participants
Updated 2026-02-17 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Enhanced Crisis Response Planning (ECRP)Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (BCBT)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Revised (SITBI-R)
Measured over Change since hospital discharge (via administrations at the 2, 4, 8, and 12-month post-discharge assessments)
Suicide
1 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts1
  • Michael S Esterman, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus, Jamaica Plain, MA

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

hospitalization for a recent suicidal crisis consisting of SI with intent to die within the past week and/or a suicide attempt within the past month
Veteran status
ability to speak English
ability to complete the informed consent process
willingness/ability to attend 12 outpatient treatment sessions and 3 fMRI sessions following hospital discharge

Exclusion

significant cognitive impairment
current psychotic or manic features
  • Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Revised (SITBI-R)Change since hospital discharge (via administrations at the 2, 4, 8, and 12-month post-discharge assessments)

    The SITBI-R is a structured interview assessment of the frequency, intensity, and characteristics of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. The SITBI-R will be used to assess lifetime history of suicide attempts at baseline and the number, approximate date, method, and injuries resulting from any suicide attempts occurring during the 12-month period following discharge via administrations at the 2, 4, 8, and 12-month post-discharge assessments.