Latino/a Adolescents With Suicidal Behavior
Condition: Suicide
MeSH terms: Suicide
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The study is about developing the best aftercare treatment possible for Latino/a adolescents
      who have been hospitalized in a psychiatric unit due to a suicidal crisis (suicidal thoughts
      or attempts). The treatment's purpose is to help adolescents and their caregivers develop
      skills to prevent future suicidal crises. Latino/a adolescents usually report more suicidal
      behavior than other ethnic groups. The question that the investigators want to answer is if a
      new treatment (socio-cognitive behavioral therapy-(SCBT)) developed to their specific needs,
      taking into account their culture and aspects of adolescence, performs better than the
      treatment that they usually receive. Forty six adolescents were recruited from the Bradley
      Hospital adolescent inpatient unit or the Hasbro Inpatient Medical & Psychiatric Program, or
      referred to Gateway Healthcare after discharge from other inpatient units in Rhode Island;
      half of them were assigned randomly to the treatment they would usually receive (TAU) and the
      other half to the new treatment (SCBT). In both groups, caregivers and adolescents completed
      questionnaires and interviews before the beginning of treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months
      after the treatment begin. Questions to the participants were related to their presenting
      symptoms, family, social group, problems, and other similar topics. Also, participants were
      asked about their satisfaction with the treatment they were receiving. The purpose of the
      questionnaires and interviews are to follow their progress in therapy. At the end,
      comparisons will be made between the group who participated in TAU and the group who
      participated in the SCBT, based on the assessment results from the adolescents and
      caregivers.
    

Detailed description: 
      The primary aim of the proposed research is to evaluate the feasibility of a
      socio-cognitive-behavioral therapy protocol for suicidal behavior (SCBT-SB) with Latino/a
      adolescents in comparison to treatment as usual (TAU). The SCBT-SB protocol was develop in
      Puerto Rico, but was expand to Latinx populations in U.S. based on a previous qualitative
      study. The SCBT-SB include developmental and cultural factors in order to optimize treatment
      outcomes in suicidal Latino/a adolescents. Study design: A pilot randomized controlled trial
      (RCT) of the SCBT-SB versus TAU was conducted in a real world scenario. Participants were 46
      Latino/a adolescents (13-17) admitted to a Psychiatric Unit for suicide ideation or suicide
      attempts, who were referred to outpatient care, and at least one legal guardian. RCT's
      primary question is: Is the SCBT-SB protocol feasible in terms of satisfaction,
      acceptability, recruitment, retention, and therapist adherence? RCT's secondary question is:
      What is the magnitude of difference in suicidality and psychopathology symptoms between the
      SCBT-SB and the TAU at three, six, and 12 months following baseline?
    

Intervention name(s): S-CBT; Treatment as Usual
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The SCBT-SB protocol has 3 phases. Phase I, which is fixed (core sessions), includes 9 sessions (1 family, 5 individual & 3 caretakers sessions). Topics include: understanding the suicidal crisis, identity in adolescence, chain analysis, communication skills, the power of thought and decision making, parenting skills, rearing in a different culture, and family communication. Phase II is flexible and consists of coping skills modules (thoughts, emotional regulation, social interactions, activities, substance abuse, family communication & trauma). The treatment plan is adjusted to adolescents' needs. Family and primary caregiver sessions are flexible, depending on the family/caregivers' needs. Participants have received an adequate course of treatment if they at least complete the core sessions. This protocol should take 3-6 months. Once the active phase ends, booster sessions are recommended.; Intensive outpatient therapy with teens and their parents using a variety of eclectic treatments that characterize standard care for adolescents.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Suicidal ideation; Suicide attempt; Latinx teens