Clinical trial NCT05969080: Self-Injury Treatment and Recovery in Veterans
Official title: A Brief Intervention to Reduce Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Improve Functioning in Veterans
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Self-Injurious Behavior
Keywords: Self-Injurious Behavior
Veterans
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2023-08-01
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the intentional destruction of one's own body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes that are not socially sanctioned. While NSSI has been understudied among Veterans, the lifetime prevalence rate of NSSI in Veterans is approximately three times higher than the general population. Moreover, NSSI is associated with increased risk for violence, psychiatric distress, and marked impairment in psychosocial functioning. Even though NSSI is distinct from suicidal behaviors in several important ways, NSSI remains a strong predictor of a future suicide attempt. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the treatment and acceptability of a brief intervention for NSSI that aims to reduce psychosocial impairment and NSSI behaviors in Veterans.

Detailed description: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the intentional destruction of one's own body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes that are not socially sanctioned. While NSSI has been understudied among Veterans, the lifetime prevalence rate of NSSI in Veterans is approximately three times higher than the general population. Moreover, NSSI is associated with increased risk for violence, psychiatric distress, and marked impairment in psychosocial functioning. Even though NSSI is distinct from suicidal behaviors in several important ways, NSSI remains a strong predictor of a future suicide attempt. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the treatment and acceptability of a brief intervention for NSSI that aims to reduce psychosocial impairment and NSSI behaviors in Veterans. This treatment, known as the Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) incorporates evidence-based approaches to replace NSSI with behaviors that improve psychoso ial functioning. A core component of T-SIB is functional assessment that identifies the antecedents and consequences of NSSI. This project will enhance T-SIB by using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to conduct NSSI functional assessment in-vivo. EMA reduces retrospective recall bias and can increase engagement with therapeutic goals.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or older
* Past service in the United States military
* Nonsuicidal self-injury engagement on 2 occasions in past 30 days
* Fluent in English
* Able to provide voluntary informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Lifetime history of psychosis, mania, or hypomania
* Imminent risk for suicide/homicide warranting immediate intervention
* Unable/unwilling to complete study procedures

Primary outcomes:
measure: Feasibility as measured by number of participants enrolled
timeFrame: 2 years after study enrollment begins
measure: Feasibility as measured rate of retention
timeFrame: End of treatment, about nine weeks after beginning the study
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Number of participants who report satisfaction with the T-SIB treatment
timeFrame: End of treatment, about nine weeks after beginning the study
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Durham
country: United States
facility: Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
name: Tate F Halverson, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: