Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicide Risk

Overseen By Sean Mitchell, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Texas Tech University

Disqualifiers: Neurocognitive impairment

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 19

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests an adapted form of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (a type of talk therapy) to reduce suicidal thoughts in family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. The goal is to develop a program specifically for those experiencing high stress and emotional burden from caregiving. It targets primary caregivers living with someone diagnosed with these conditions who have shown signs of suicidal risk. As an unphased trial, this study allows caregivers to contribute to developing a potentially life-changing therapy tailored to their unique needs.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this therapy is safe for aging adult family caregivers?

Research has shown that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is generally safe for individuals with suicidal thoughts. One study demonstrated that a shorter 26-week DBT program reduced suicidal thoughts and attempts in autistic adults, indicating its effectiveness for people with complex needs.

Another study found that DBT reduced self-harm and suicide attempts in highly suicidal teenagers, supporting its safety across different age groups.

While results can vary, DBT consistently proves safe and effective in lowering suicidal risks. These studies suggest that DBT is a safe option for those considering it, including family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) because it specifically targets suicide ideation among family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), which is a unique focus not commonly addressed by standard treatments. Unlike traditional DBT, which is used for a variety of mental health issues, this adapted version hones in on the intense emotional stress and potential suicidal thoughts experienced by these caregivers. By customizing the therapy to address the specific challenges faced by this group, it offers a tailored approach that could lead to more effective outcomes in reducing suicide risk, something current general mental health therapies may not adequately achieve.

What evidence suggests that Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy might be an effective treatment for reducing suicidality in caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease?

Research has shown that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) reduces outcomes related to suicide. Studies consistently find that DBT lowers the number and seriousness of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. A review of multiple studies confirmed DBT's effectiveness in reducing suicidal behavior. While most research focuses on teenagers and adults at high risk of suicide, these findings suggest DBT can also help different groups, including those in stressful caregiving roles. This trial will specifically test an Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy, focusing on reducing suicide ideation for family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias. Overall, DBT has demonstrated strong results in reducing suicidality, making it a promising option for caregivers. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 50 who are primary caregivers for someone with Alzheimer's or related dementias. Participants must show signs of suicide risk, speak English fluently, and be willing to provide blood samples. It's not suitable for those who don't meet the suicide risk criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

You must score higher than the established clinical cutoffs on at least one of three tests: SBQ-R (score > 6), INQ (thwarted belonging score > 35 and perceived burden > 17) or GDS (score>5).

I am 50 years old or older.

You are the primary informal caretaker.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Adaptation and Implementation

Adaptation of DBT skills training for family caregivers, followed by implementation of the adapted DBT skills training groups

4 months

16 weekly sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including self-report assessments and focus groups

2 months

2 visits (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Trial Overview The trial tests an adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy program designed specifically for aging caregivers at risk of suicide. The goal is to see if this therapy can reduce suicidality in a group that has unique stressors due to their caregiving roles.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy to focus on reducing suicide ideation for family caregivers of persons with AD/ADRD

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Texas Tech University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

89

Recruited

10,300+

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31944371/

Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents with ... These findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of DBT-A for adolescents at high risk of suicide in community settings.

2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25806661/

Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals ... Results: All treatment conditions resulted in similar improvements in the frequency and severity of suicide attempts, suicide ideation, use of crisis services ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005789418300492

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Is Effective for the Treatment ... DBT has been shown to reduce suicide-related outcomes in published studies. •. This meta-analysis found that DBT was effective for reducing suicidal behavior. •.

4. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2685324

Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents at ... Research on DBT with adults has demonstrated low dropout and efficacy in reducing suicide attempts and NSSI. Given its effectiveness with adults ...

5. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00277/full

Effectiveness of Psychotherapy on Suicidal Risk Results were positive overall, with a decrease of suicidal ideation rates in 95.7% of them. The most used psychotherapeutic treatments were DBT ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6584278/

Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents at ... The results of this trial support the efficacy of DBT for reducing self-harm and suicide attempts in highly suicidal self-harming adolescents.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11295142/

The use of CAMS and DBT to effectively treat patients who are ... In this article, we review the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), two clinical treatments.

8. bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-05876-z

Evaluation of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents in ... A more recent meta-analysis found no effect on suicide attempts in treatments of BPD for adolescents from pre to post treatment, including DBT-A ...

9. cambridge.org cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/effectiveness-and-safety-of-dialectical-behavior-therapy-for-suicidal-ideation-and-behavior-in-autistic-adults-a-pragmatic-randomized-controlled-trial/4464CA3C0D3DDEF5F3A4BD45415B9B50

The effectiveness and safety of dialectical behavior therapy ... This study demonstrated that a shortened 26-week DBT treatment was effective in autistic adults with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.