17400 Participants Needed

Wingman-Connect for Suicide Prevention

PA
BY
Overseen ByBryan Yates, BS
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of Rochester
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants must stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Wingman-Connect for suicide prevention?

The Wingman-Connect Program has been shown to improve social connections among Air Force personnel at risk of suicide, with a significant increase in valued connections and elimination of social isolation. This suggests that Wingman-Connect may help reduce suicide risk by strengthening social support networks.12345

What safety data exists for Wingman-Connect or similar interventions in suicide prevention?

There is limited specific safety data for Wingman-Connect, but studies highlight the importance of clear reporting of adverse events (unwanted effects) in suicide prevention trials. Using multiple methods, like structured phone follow-ups, can improve detection of these events, ensuring better safety monitoring.56789

How does the Wingman-Connect treatment for suicide prevention differ from other treatments?

Wingman-Connect is unique because it focuses on strengthening social connections and group bonds among Air Force personnel, particularly those at elevated suicide risk, by integrating them into supportive networks. This approach contrasts with other treatments that may focus more on individual therapy or medication, as it aims to reduce isolation and enhance social support within a community setting.1251011

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests the Wingman-Connect training program, which helps new Airmen build strong social connections and healthy coping habits to prevent suicide. The program targets first-term Airmen who may be more vulnerable to stress. It works by creating a supportive community and teaching effective stress management.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for US Air Force bases, specifically those in the Air Force Global Strike Command and Air Mobility Command. It involves around 96 implementers responsible for delivering Wingman-Connect training to first-term Airmen, with an estimated total of 17,400 Airmen participating across all bases.

Inclusion Criteria

Data from bases in the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) & Air Mobility Command (AMC) MajComs
96 implementers (4-5 per base over at each data point, and 8-12 respondents per site across the study period)

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Implementation

Implementation of Wingman-Connect by the USAF will occur over 51 months, with staggered implementation based on a randomized stepped-wedge design.

51 months
Data collection every 6 months

Data Collection

Data collection from USAF prevention personnel and analysis of base-level suicide attempt rates.

51 months
Every 6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in base-level suicide attempt rates after implementation.

4 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Wingman-Connect
Trial Overview The study tests the impact of Wingman-Connect, a suicide prevention program implemented at eight operational AF bases. The effectiveness will be measured by analyzing base-level suicide attempt rates before and after the intervention over a period of 51 months using a randomized stepped-wedge design.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Wingman-ConnectExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Wingman-Connect (Wyman et al., 2020) uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Training will be delivered in First Term Airmen classes among all Airmen arriving at base during the study period.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Rochester

Lead Sponsor

Trials
883
Recruited
555,000+

Findings from Research

Caring Contacts, which are supportive text messages sent to military personnel at risk of suicide, showed a significant reduction in the odds of experiencing suicidal ideation and attempts compared to standard care, suggesting they may be a valuable addition to mental health interventions.
While the primary outcomes did not show significant effects, the secondary outcomes indicated that participants receiving Caring Contacts had lower rates of suicidal ideation and attempts, highlighting the potential of this low-cost intervention in preventing suicidality among military service members.
Effect of Augmenting Standard Care for Military Personnel With Brief Caring Text Messages for Suicide Prevention: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Comtois, KA., Kerbrat, AH., DeCou, CR., et al.[2022]
A qualitative study involving experienced suicide researchers revealed significant challenges in defining and reporting adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) in suicide prevention trials, which complicates safety evaluations.
Participants emphasized the urgent need for clear and consistent definitions and reporting standards for AEs and SAEs to improve the comparability of studies and enhance safety monitoring in at-risk populations.
Variability in the definition and reporting of adverse events in suicide prevention trials: an examination of the issues and a proposed solution.Oquendo, MA., Feldman, S., Silverman, E., et al.[2022]
A pharmacovigilance analysis of over 85,000 cases from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System identified specific drug combinations and indications that may increase the risk of suicide, highlighting the complexity of suicide risk factors.
The study suggests that certain demographic groups may be more affected by these drug combinations, indicating a need for further research to validate these findings and improve suicide prevention strategies.
Mining Drugs and Indications for Suicide-Related Adverse Events.Ding, T., Chen, ES.[2020]

References

Comparison of the effects of four suicide prevention programs for family and friends of high-risk suicidal men who do not seek help themselves. [2022]
Wingman-Connect Program increases social integration for Air Force personnel at elevated suicide risk: Social network analysis of a cluster RCT. [2022]
A follow-up program for suicide attempters: evaluation of effectiveness. [2006]
Evaluation of the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment Suicide Risk Modeling Clinical Program in the Veterans Health Administration. [2022]
Effect of Augmenting Standard Care for Military Personnel With Brief Caring Text Messages for Suicide Prevention: A Randomized Clinical Trial. [2022]
Variability in the definition and reporting of adverse events in suicide prevention trials: an examination of the issues and a proposed solution. [2022]
Mining Drugs and Indications for Suicide-Related Adverse Events. [2020]
The impact of minor adverse event tracking on subject safety: a web-based system. [2009]
Using structured telephone follow-up assessments to improve suicide-related adverse event detection. [2021]
Adapting and implementing Caring Contacts in a Department of Veterans Affairs emergency department: a pilot study protocol. [2022]
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline crisis chat interventions: Evaluation of chatters' perceptions of effectiveness. [2022]
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