An interventional study of Single-Session Mechanism-Focused Intervention (SSMFI) and Distress Tolerance Skills Review in Suicidal Ideation, Hopelessness and Wish to Live, sponsored by Shannon E. Sauer-Zavala. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-08-01.
Sponsored by Shannon E. Sauer-Zavala · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Across multiple models of suicide risk, hopelessness and perceptions of social relatedness (i.e., lack of social connection/thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness) have emerged as candidate mechanisms that maintain STBs. Although these mechanisms have garnered strong empirical support in predicting STBs, there has been virtually no integration with interventions aimed for individuals at acute risk for suicide. Thus, the overarching goal of the present proposal is to evaluate a mechanism-focused intervention that explicitly targets two core mechanisms implicated in the maintenance of STBs: hopelessness and negative perceptions of social relatedness. Given that the period immediately following hospital discharge presents the highest risk for suicide attempts and up to 70% of patients admitted for a suicide attempt do not attend their first outpatient appointment, the intervention will be evaluated on an inpatient unit. Additionally, most of the extant interventions for STBs are administered across multiple sessions (i.e., 4 sessions and up to one year); however treatments of this length are unlikely to be feasible in acute care settings. Fortunately, very brief suicide prevention interventions, are effective in reducing future suicide attempts and increasing the likelihood of attending follow-up treatments. Additionally, single-session interventions (not suicide specific) have been shown to reduce hopelessness immediately and at a one-month follow-up.
The present study is an RCT comparing a novel Single Session Mechanism Focused Intervention (SSMFI) for STBs to treatment-as-usual (TAU) on a psychiatric inpatient unit for patients admitted for suicidal ideation or attempt. The engagement of the putative processes (hopelessness and negative perceptions of social relatedness) that maintain STBs will be assessed, along with the feasibility and acceptability of SSMFI for STBs on an inpatient psychiatric unit.
515 studies on the registry are indexed under Suicidal Ideation; 195 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 38 is below the median of 80 across 426 interventional studies indexed under Suicidal Ideation.
Browse Suicidal Ideation studies →Shannon E. Sauer-Zavala is the lead sponsor of 5 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Behavioral: Single-Session Mechanism-Focused Intervention (SSMFI)
Behavioral: Distress Tolerance Skills Review
A brief intervention for patients hospitalized for suicide risk that directly targets hopelessness and perceptions of social relatedness.
Treatment as usual at the inpatient setting for this study.
Change in intensity of suicidal ideation
RATE OVERALL INTENSITY OF YOUR SUICIDAL IDEATION RIGHT NOW: (scale from "1" Extremely low intensity to "5" Extremely high intensity)
Time frame: Pre-intervention and directly after the intervention (i.e., 1 hour later)
Change in hopelessness
How much are you feeling hopeless right now? (scale from "1" Not at all to "5" A lot)
Time frame: Pre-intervention and directly after the intervention (i.e., 1 hour later)
Change in wish to live
I wish to live this much: (scale from "0" Not at all to "8" Very much)
Time frame: Pre-intervention and directly after the intervention (i.e., 1 hour later)
Change in wish to die
I wish to die this much: (scale from "0" Not at all to "8" Very much)
Time frame: Pre-intervention and directly after the intervention (i.e., 1 hour later)
Change in Beck Hopelessness Scale
Hopelessness will be measured with the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Scores range from 0-20 and higher scores indicate greater levels of hopelessness.
Time frame: pre-intervention, 1 week after the intervention is completed, 1 month after the intervention is completed
Change in Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire
Perceptions of social connectedness will be assessed with the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire. Scores range from 0 to 107 with higher scores indicating less connection with others.
Time frame: pre-intervention, 1 week after the intervention is completed, 1 month after the intervention is completed
Change in Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
The self-report version of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale will be used to assess the presence of suicidal behaviors thoughts and behaviors. Participants are asked to respond Yes/No to 6 items that refer to various suicide related phenomena (thoughts, planning, intent, and behaviors). There is no total score for this measure.
Time frame: pre-intervention, 1 week after the intervention is completed, 1 month after the intervention is completed
Change in Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire
Intensity of suicidal ideation will be measured with the Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. Scores range from 0-150 and higher scores indicate greater intensity of suicidal ideation.
Time frame: pre-intervention, 1 week after the intervention is completed, 1 month after the intervention is completed
Plan to share: No
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This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Shannon E. Sauer-Zavala