ACT for Life Therapy for Suicide Risk
Trial Summary
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
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 healthcare provider.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment ACT for Life Therapy for Suicide Risk?
Research on similar treatments, like Project Life Force, shows that structured group therapy can significantly reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression, and hopelessness. Additionally, therapies like cognitive behavior therapy and problem-solving therapy have shown significant improvements in managing suicide risk compared to usual treatment.12345
Is ACT for Life Therapy for Suicide Risk safe for humans?
The available research on related therapies like the Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) suggests they are generally safe and acceptable for adults experiencing suicide-related distress, with improvements in suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression, and hopelessness. However, there is a need for clear definitions and consistent reporting of adverse events to better evaluate safety across studies.36789
How is ACT for Life Therapy for Suicide Risk different from other treatments?
What is the purpose of this trial?
Psychiatric hospitalization is a critical opportunity to provide treatment to reduce the risk of suicide and lay the groundwork for functional recovery. In fact, the period following psychiatric hospitalization presents the greatest risk of death by suicide for Veterans. Despite psychiatric hospitalization being a vital time for intervention, there are no suicide-specific evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) that can be feasibly delivered during a typical VHA inpatient stay. Importantly, suicide-specific inpatient interventions are primarily focused on reducing the reoccurrence of suicidal behavior and have limited or no focus on directly targeting other aspects of functional recovery. Preventing suicide during a crisis is only a short-term solution if we fail to assist patients in building a life they deem worth living.The investigators' research over the past several years has been focused on addressing this gap and overcoming barriers to implementing psychosocial interventions in an inpatient setting. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a psychosocial intervention well suited to both preventing suicide and enhancing functioning, but the investigators were not aware of any ACT-based treatment protocols designed to specifically target suicide risk. The investigators consulted with leading ACT clinicians and researchers to develop and manualize "ACT for Life", a brief, transdiagnostic, recovery-oriented, inpatient, intervention for Veterans hospitalized due to suicide risk. The individual intervention involves 3 to 6 inpatient sessions and 1 to 4 outpatient sessions focused on skills generalization and treatment engagement. The investigators conducted a randomized controlled pilot study evaluating the acceptability of ACT for Life and the feasibility of the planned design for the proposed randomized controlled efficacy trial. Results of this rigorous pilot study support the acceptability and feasibility of ACT for Life. Nearly all Veterans reported that they believed they benefitted from ACT for Life. Preliminary outcomes suggest that ACT for Life may improve functioning and reduce suicidal behavior following hospitalization due to suicide risk. However, a full-scale clinical trial will be necessary to definitively evaluate the efficacy of ACT for Life. To accomplish this goal, the investigators are proposing to conduct a randomized controlled trial of ACT for Life versus Present Centered Therapy in 278 Veterans hospitalized for suicide risk to examine outcomes of suicidal behavior and changes in functioning over a one-year period following psychiatric hospitalization. The specific aims of this study are to determine the efficacy of ACT for Life for preventing suicidal behavior and maximizing functional recovery, and to examine candidate ACT for Life treatment mechanisms. Participants will complete assessments prior to treatment, before discharge from the inpatient unit, and at one-, three-, six-, and twelve-months following discharge. The proposed randomized controlled trial of ACT for Life has the potential to fill the VHA's need for empirically-supported inpatient interventions that can be delivered during a typical inpatient stay, are recovery oriented, and prevent future suicidal behavior.
Research Team
Sean Michael Barnes, PhD
Principal Investigator
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for Veterans hospitalized due to suicide risk who are eligible for VHA care and willing to participate in the study. It's not suitable for prisoners, pregnant women, those unable to consent or understand the study, or individuals with conditions like acute intoxication/withdrawal, mania, psychosis that prevent participation.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Inpatient Treatment
Participants receive the ACT for Life intervention during their inpatient stay, involving 3 to 6 sessions.
Outpatient Treatment
Participants continue with 1 to 4 outpatient sessions focused on skills generalization and treatment engagement.
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment with assessments at one-, three-, six-, and twelve-months following discharge.
Treatment Details
Interventions
- ACT for Life
- Present Centered Therapy
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
VA Office of Research and Development
Lead Sponsor