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Smartphone Treatment for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

This study is testing a smartphone app called Therapeutic Evaluative Conditioning for Suicide (TEC-S) for adults who have frequent suicidal thoughts. The app uses a behavioral treatment where you would play a game that pairs thoughts about suicide with negative things, and thoughts about yourself with positive things. Researchers want to see if TEC-S is safe, if people find it acceptable to use, and if it can help reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To join, you need to be 18 or older, have frequent suicidal thoughts, own a smartphone, and have occasional Wi-Fi access. The study will involve 20 participants.

Study design
This is an open-label study, meaning everyone knows what treatment they are receiving. It will include 20 adult participants.
What's involved
You would receive the TEC-S intervention and complete daily check-ins on your smartphone for 30 days. You would also complete weekly behavioral and self-report assessments.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your safety and how well you accept the treatment will be monitored through the completion of the treatment phase (day 1 through 30).

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NCT06967545

A One-Arm Open Trial of a Smartphone Delivered Treatment for Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment
Massachusetts General Hospital
~20 participants
Updated 2026-07-10 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Smartphone-delivered Therapeutic Evaluative Conditioning for Suicide (TEC-S)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
TEC-S Acceptability
Measured over Through completion of treatment phase (day 1 through 30)
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Suicide Attempt
Suicide Ideation

Explore related trials

Suicidal IdeationSuicide Attempt

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts1

Who to contact

Adam C Jaroszewski, PhD
[email protected]
781-258-3082
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Adults ages 18+
Relatively frequent and recent (≥5 days within the past-month) active suicidal thoughts as assessed via SITBI-R.
Willing and able to provide at least one emergency contact (name, phone number, relation).
Owns an Android or iOS smartphone.
Possesses at least occasional access to Wi-Fi-enabled internet for data down/uploads.
Fluent in English and willing to provide informed consent.
Living in the Boston metropolitan area (i.e., \~50 mile radius around Boston, MA)

Exclusion

Recent (past 3-month) hypo/manic symptoms or homicidal ideation or lifetime psychosis spectrum diagnosis as assessed via MINI 7.0.2.
Recent acute suicide risk operationalized as affirmative responses to BOTH below items during structured clinical interview AND evaluation by the PI in consultation with Mentors/Advisor Drs. Wilhelm, Kleiman, and/or Bentley:
At any time in past week: ≥ 8/10 current intent to act on suicidal thoughts (0 \["not at all"\] to 10 \["extremely strong"\]); AND
At any time in past week: thought of a specific suicide plan (i.e, known method/means and/or location) with access to lethal means
Impaired vision (e.g., legal blindness), technological illiteracy, or intellectual disability that might impair ability to provide valid data and/or informed consent.

What this trial measures

  • TEC-S AcceptabilityThrough completion of treatment phase (day 1 through 30)

    (i) Indexed as the proportion of TEC-S sessions accessed within the first week, (ii) adapted items from the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ), rated on a 9-point scale. : "How satisfied were you with your overall experience with TEC-S?" "How satisfied were you with your understanding of how to complete TEC-S (iii)End-User Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS), with items rated on a 5-point scale.

  • TEC-S SafetyThrough completion of treatment phase (day 1 through 30)

    Changes in suicide-related thoughts (e.g., intent, desire, urge, preparation) and affective responses (e.g. stress) before and after randomized stimuli in each TEC-S session, assessed via ecological momentary assessment