Advancing Student Suicide Interventions With Scalable Technologies

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Attempt; Self-Harm

• Registration Number: NCT07211373
• Lead Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Brief Summary

Mobile-based applications, such as JasprHealth, can deliver evidence-based skills intended to reduce imminent suicide risk (e.g., reducing means access), improve emotional states (e.g., via distraction and coaching to act opposite to emotions), and reduce feelings of social isolation (e.g., via shared stories), but user engagement is a barrier. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a technological application resource (Jaspr) relative to human augmentation (Jaspr+, e.g., motivationally focused orientation plus prompts) on acceptability, preliminary effectiveness, and engagement among college students who screen positive for suicide risk.

Detailed Description

Mobile-based applications, such as Jaspr Health, can deliver evidence-based skills intended to reduce imminent suicide risk (e.g., reducing means access), improve emotional states (e.g., via distraction and coaching to act opposite to emotions), and reduce feelings of social isolation (e.g., via shared stories). Although mobile-device-delivered interventions hold the potential to make interventions widely accessible, user engagement presents a substantial barrier to efficacy.(Toritsemogba Tosanbami Omaghomi et al., 2023; Torous et al., 2018) This study, ASSIST: Advancing Student Suicide Interventions with Scalable Technologies, aims to improve engagement with mobile-delivered suicide prevention applications, with the ultimate goal of reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in college students. Including human elements alongside Jaspr Health has the potential to improve the uptake of this evidence-based, accessible mobile-device-delivered intervention.(Blankers et al., 2011; Gellatly et al., 2007)

The aim of this study was is to examine the effects of the technological application resource Jaspr tablet application with access to Jaspr at Home (JAH) vs. Jaspr+ human augmentation (e.g., motivationally focused orientation plus prompts) on acceptability, preliminary effectiveness, and engagement among 50 college students who screen positive for suicide risk (n=25 per condition) over the course of 2 months. Candidate mechanisms (e.g., coping skills, self-stigma) will also be assessed. Participants were randomized via the Redcap randomization module (Harris et al., 2019), stratified by site.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-09-30
• Status Verified: 2025-10
• Study First Submitted: 2025-10-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-10-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-10-01
• Study First Posted: 2025-10-08
• Last Update Posted: 2025-10-08
• Primary Completion: 2027-06-30
• Study Completion: 2027-06-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

• Recent suicidal thoughts or behavior (i.e., past 2-week suicidal ideation or past 6-month suicidal behaviors)
• Current UMass Amherst or University of Wisconsin Madison undergraduate student
• 18 years of age or older
• Ability to understand written or spoken English
• Owning a mobile device
• Ability to understand and consent to study procedures

Exclusion Criteria

• No recent suicidal thoughts or behaviors (i.e., past 2-week suicidal ideation or past 6-month suicidal behaviors)
• Not a current UMass Amherst or University of Wisconsin Madison undergraduate student
• Under 18 years of age
• Inability to understand written or spoken English
• Does not own a mobile device

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Suicidal ideation	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with Suicide Ideation Questionnaire \[SIQ, (Reynolds, 1987)\], with higher scores reflecting greater past month suicidal ideation.
Suicidal behaviors	weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8	Assessed with the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale \[C-SSRS (Posner, 2008)\] self-report screen past week (y/n)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Suicide-related coping	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with the suicide-related coping scale, \[SRCS, (Stanley et al., 2017)\] with higher scores reflecting a better ability to cope with suicidal thoughts
Ways of coping	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with the DBT-Ways of Coping Checklist (DBT-WCCL (Neacsiu et al., 2010)), which yields scales of skills use, general dysfunctional coping, and blaming others, with mean scores of 0-3, with higher levels indicating greater use of those strategies.
Suicide stigma	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with the personal suicide stigma questionnaire \[PSSQ, (Maclean et al., 2023)\], with higher scores reflecting greater stigma.
Self-reported engagement	weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8	Assessed with item developed for this study, with higher scores reflecting greater engagement in the app.
Acceptability	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with the Acceptability of Implementation Measure \[AIM, (Weiner et al., 2017)\], with higher scores reflecting whether the intervention is liked, welcomed, or approved.
Satisfaction with Intervention	weeks 0, 4, 8	Assessed with the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire - 8 \[CSQ8, (Attkisson \& Greenfield, 2004; Kelly et al., 2018; Larsen et al., 1979)\], with higher scores reflecting greater satisfaction with the intervention.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Massachusetts Amherst; 🇺🇸 Amherst, Massachusetts, United States