An interventional study of Safety planning and Treatment as usual in Suicide, sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-16.
Sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
One of the factors that contributes to suicide risk is what is known as a "suicidal belief system." This belief system is made up of several cognitions that been associated with suicide risk among military personnel. Modification of these cognitions may reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The study team has developed a brief mobile intervention entitled the Mobile Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts (MIST) that uses evidence-based interpretation bias modification techniques to reduce these suicide cognitions. The goal of this project is to is to conduct a pilot trial of the MIST intervention to evaluate whether it is feasible an acceptable as an adjunct treatment for Veterans with suicidal ideation.
One of the factors that contributes to suicide risk is what is known as a "suicidal belief system." This belief system is made up of several cognitions, including hopelessness, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, unlovability, unbearability, and unsolvability. These cognitions have all been associated with suicide risk among military personnel. Modification of these cognitions may reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The study team has developed a brief mobile intervention entitled the Mobile Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts (MIST) that uses evidence-based interpretation bias modification techniques to reduce these suicide cognitions. The goal of this project is to is to conduct a pilot trial of the MIST intervention to evaluate whether it is feasible an acceptable as an adjunct treatment for Veterans with suicidal ideation.
The investigators will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), in which 50 Veterans with suicidal ideation will be randomized to either MIST plus Treatment as Usual and Safety Planning versus Treatment as Usual and Safety Planning. The central hypothesis is that Veterans will find MIST acceptable and will be willing to use it to reduce their suicidal thoughts.
607 studies on the registry are indexed under Suicide; 162 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 50 is below the median of 104 across 490 interventional studies indexed under Suicide.
Browse Suicide studies →VA Office of Research and Development is the lead sponsor of 1,771 studies on the registry; 392 are open to participants now.
Of its 213 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 185 (87%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
DSM diagnostic criteria
The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will get a safety plan, treatment as usual, and the MIST intervention.
Behavioral: Safety planning · Behavioral: Treatment as usual · Behavioral: MIST Intervention
Participants will get a safety plan and treatment as usual.
Behavioral: Safety planning · Behavioral: Treatment as usual
Safety planning (SP) is a single-session intervention that consists of developing a written list of individualized coping strategies and sources of support that can be used during a suicidal crisis.
This will include continued care with any of the Veterans' current providers. Study staff will also place appropriate referrals for Veterans, as needed (e.g., Trauma Recovery Program referrals for Veterans with PTSD, Sleep Psychology referrals for Veterans with insomnia). Participants will be encouraged to follow up with their providers' recommendations and treatment plans
This is a mobile intervention designed to target and modify suicidal cognitions. Veteran in this condition will be asked to use the intervention 5 times a week for 4 weeks.
Number of participants recruited
Participant feasibility goal will be met if recruitment is 75% or greater of recruitment expectation.
Time frame: Through study completion (approximately 18 months)
Percentage of enrolled participants who complete the study intervention
Treatment retention feasibility goal will be met if attrition is no more than 25%.
Time frame: Post-treatment visit (approximately one month after enrollment)
Patient satisfaction for MIST app: Client Satisfaction Questionnaire
Patient satisfaction will be assessed with item #7 from the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. This item is scored on a scale of 1 to 4, with one indicating lower satisfaction and 4 indicating greater satisfaction. The patient satisfaction goal will be met if 80% or greater of participants indicate score a 3 or 4 on this item.
Time frame: Post-treatment visit (approximately one month after enrollment)
MIST intervention utilization
MIST utilization goal will be met if MIST app utilization rates are greater than 50% of expected use.
Time frame: Post-MIST assessment visit (approximately one month after enrollment)
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Sep 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Aug 2027, 22 months after the start.
Of 308 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Suicide, half reached primary completion within 30 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 15 and three quarters within 54. This study's planned 22 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 319 studies reached it within 30 months; a quarter within 15 and three quarters within 53.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
VA Office of Research and Development →