Evaluating Primary Suicide Prevention in Adolescents With Risk Factors

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Suicide Prevention

• Registration Number: NCT06551038
• Lead Sponsor: University of Bern

Brief Summary

Suicide is one of the main causes of death among teenagers. Because it is preventable, primary prevention of suicide has become a public health priority, with encouraging results in promoting suicide awareness and reducing suicidal thoughts among adolescents. However, the lack of studies conducted among vulnerable populations (i.e., marginalised, disengaged and disadvantaged) is a major gap, even though these populations present an increased risk of suicidal behaviour.

The aim of this project is to test the effectiveness of a brief primary suicide prevention intervention for vulnerable adolescents, using a randomised controlled trial. Vulnerable adolescents include those 1) detained in juvenile detention centres, 2) at risk of dropping out of school, 3) undergoing treatment for psychiatric disorders, and 4) belonging to a sexual or gender minority. The main aim is to test the effectiveness of the intervention on a composite measure of suicide awareness, psychological distress and suicidal thoughts. The project will also explore other issues that present challenges for vulnerable populations: access to primary suicide prevention and non-response bias. The study will provide relevant results to address the current lack of high-quality evidence for primary suicide prevention in adolescents.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-08-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-08-08
• Study First Posted: 2024-08-13
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study Start: 2025-03-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-18
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-21
• Primary Completion: 2027-05-30
• Study Completion: 2028-09-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 240

Inclusion Criteria

• Vulnerable adolescents defined as being: 1) detained in juvenile detention centers, 2) disconnected from school, 3) in treatment for psychiatric disorders, or 4) belonging to a sexual or gender minority.
• Age 14 to 18 years old.
• Good knowledge of French.
• Accepting to sign the informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• The medical/educational staff considers that the intervention will interfere with appropriate management of acute psychiatric disorder or may cause harm to self or other.
• Being enrolled in another suicide prevention intervention during the study period.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Composite measure of suicide awareness	One-week post-baseline	Nine-item perceived suicide awareness scale (PSAS-9), assessed on a 5-point scale, score ranging from 0 to 36, with a higher score indicating a higher suicide awareness

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Knowledge of local resources	One-week post-baseline; six-month post-baseline	Self-developed scale on local resources, 6 binary (true/false) questions, score ranging from 0 to 6, with a higher score indicating higher knowledge of local resources
Composite measure of suicide awareness	Six-month post-baseline	Nine-item perceived suicide awareness scale (PSAS-9), assessed on a 5-point scale, score ranging from 0 to 36, with a higher score indicating a higher suicide awareness
Knowledge on suicide	One-week post-baseline; six-month post-baseline	Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS), 12 binary (true/false) questions, score ranging from 0 to 12, with a higher score indicating higher knowledge on suicide
Suicidal thoughts	One-week post-baseline; six-month post-baseline	Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS), 10 questions assessed on a 5-point scale, with a score ranging from 0 to 50. A higher score indicates a higher level of suicidal thoughts.
Psychological distress	One-week post-baseline; six-month post-baseline	Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K-6), 6-item scale is assessed on a 5-point scale, with a score ranging from 0 to 24. A higher score indicates a higher level of psychological distress.
Access to primary suicide prevention	Baseline	Self-developed scale on primary suicide prevention training, 3 questions combined in a binary indicator (yes/no)
Attrition	Six-month post-baseline	Percentage of participants who drop out, continuous variable (0-100), with a higher percentage indicating a higher level of attrition

Trial Locations

Locations (10)

Programme ForMe (anciennement SEMO) et dispositif ProPULSE; 🇨🇭 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland

Centre de Détention et d'Observation La Clairière; 🇨🇭 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland

Programme Intégration et Formation Professionnelle; 🇨🇭 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland

Centre éducatif fermé de Pramont; 🇨🇭 Sierre, Valais, Switzerland

Agnodice; 🇨🇭 Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Vogay; 🇨🇭 Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Centre Thérapeutique de Jour pour Adolescents; 🇨🇭 Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Unité de Soins Psychiatriques Fermée pour Mineurs; 🇨🇭 Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Établissement de Détention pour mineurs et jeunes adultes Les Léchaires; 🇨🇭 Palézieux, Vaud, Switzerland

Dialogai et Totem; 🇨🇭 Geneva, Switzerland