Youth-Nominated Support Team Intervention for Suicidal Adolescents

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study will attempt to improve treatment adherence and reduce suicide risk among adolescents who are at risk for attempting suicide.

Detailed Description
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Despite substantial knowledge about adolescent suicide risk factors, few studies have been conducted to identify effective interventions for suicidal adolescents. Youth-Nominated Support Team (YST) is an intervention designed to help suicidal adolescents after hospitalization. It is a psychoeducational social network intervention that targets poor treatment adherence and difficulties with social support. YST is designed to be a supplement to traditional or usual treatments. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus YST for 3 months. Adolescents who receive TAU plus YST nominate three or four adults from their family, school, and community settings to function as support persons. The support persons participate in a psychoeducation session that focuses on the adolescent's psychiatric disorder(s), individualized treatment plan, importance of treatment adherence, and suicide risk factors. They also maintain regular contact with the adolescent to support treatment adherence and progress toward treatment goals. Adolescents have assessments at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Internalizing behavior problems, perceived social support, treatment adherence, adaptive functioning, severity of depression and anxiety, severity and frequency of suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts are assessed.

Official Title
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Youth Support Team Intervention for Suicidal Adolescents

Conditions
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Suicide, Attempted

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Youth-Nominated Support Team


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Hospitalization in a participating psychiatric facility Suicidal ideation, intent, or attempt Exclusion Criteria: Severe physical or cognitive impairment that makes informed consent, nominations, or participation in assessments impossible

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 13 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Youth-Nominated Support Team<br>Adolescents nominate up to 4 caring adults from family, school, community settings. These adults participate in psychoeducation sessions regarding adolescent's treatment plan and support needs. They maintain regular, supportive contact with the adolescent for 3 months -- with ongoing consultation and support check-ins from study clinical staff. | Behavioral: Youth-Nominated Support Team<br> <br> |
| No Intervention: Enhanced Treatment as Usual<br>Adolescents in this condition receive study assessments and risk management services (at time of assessments) only | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| suicidal ideation - Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-JR | Type, frequency, and severity of suicidal thoughts | 3 month | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Depression - Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised |  | 3 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Suicide, Adolescence