The aim of this study is to determine whether learning three skills for managing negative emotions and receiving reminders via smartphone to practice these skills reduces how often and how intensely one experiences emotional distress and suicidal thoughts.
This study is a companion project to NCT05848089. The present study is a two-arm parallel design RCT to test the efficacy of using ecological momentary intervention (EMI) to deliver therapeutic content based on the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP) - an evidence-based transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that focuses on delivering adaptive skills for managing strong emotions. Participants in this study will be 50 adult psychiatric inpatients with recent suicidal thoughts or behaviors (STBs). Participants will be randomized to receive either the control condition, which consists of treatment as usual (TAU; n = 25) and 4x/daily daily ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of emotions and STBs, or the experimental condition, consisting of TAU, 4x/daily EMA, 3 brief sessions to deliver CBT skills (mindful emotion awareness, cognitive flexibility, and changing emotional behaviors, all drawn from the UP), and EMI to prompt guided skills practice (n = 25). Control participants will receive TAU and be prompted to complete 4x/day EMA of emotions and STBs for the duration of their hospital stay and the 28-day post-discharge period. Participants randomized to the experimental conditions will receive TAU plus three brief treatment sessions delivering core UP skills content (during inpatient stays) that may be offered after discharge via either phone or telehealth. Those in the experimental condition will also receive training to use the EMI (which prompts guided skills practice), followed by smartphone-based for the 28-day post-discharge period.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
50
4x/day brief smartphone-based EMA surveys assessing negative emotions and STBs
TAU (or usual care) during hospitalization and the 28-day post-discharge period
(1) Three brief treatment sessions delivering core cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills (mindful emotion awareness, cognitive flexibility, and changing emotional behaviors) (during hospitalization), (2) a discretionary booster session to reinforce treatment session content (that may be offered after discharge via either phone or telehealth), and (3) ecological momentary intervention (EMI) prompts to engage in guided skills practice exercises via smartphone
Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
RECRUITINGWithin-person changes in momentary self-reported intensity of suicidal urges (measured on a 11-point rating scale via ecological momentary assessment) from pre- to post-EMI
Overall changes in momentary self-reported intensity of suicidal urges (measured on a 11-point rating scale up to 4x/day via ecological momentary assessment) from pre- to post-EMI use, among those in the experimental condition only
Time frame: Through study completion (up to 28 days after inpatient hospital discharge)
Between-condition differences in momentary self-reported intensity of suicidal urges (measured on a 11-point rating scale via ecological momentary assessment)
Means and slopes of momentary self-reported intensity of suicidal urges (measured on a 11-point rating scale up to 4x/day via ecological momentary assessment) will be compared between the experimental and control conditions
Time frame: Through study completion (up to 28 days after inpatient hospital discharge)
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