Social Support and Social Stress Among Suicidal Inpatients at Military Treatment Facilities: A Multidimensional Investigation

ABSTRACT

The associations between social support and stress with internalizing symptoms (depressive symptoms and hopelessness) and hazardous drinking were tested in an inpatient sample of suicidal military personnel. Baseline data from a randomized clinical trial were analyzed. Different sources of support and stressors in the social context of military personnel were differentially linked to internalizing symptoms and hazardous drinking. In the full sample ( n = 192), family and nonfamily support were both inversely associated with internalizing symptoms but not hazardous drinking. Family stress was positively associated with internalizing symptoms. In a subsample of service members who had a history of deployment ( n = 98), postdeployment social support was protective against internalizing symptoms, whereas deployment harassment was associated with increased odds of hazardous drinking. Results underscore the need for assessment of various dimensions of social support and stress to guide case formulation and optimize strategies to support patients' mental well-being and adaptive coping.

Challenges and opportunities for improving mental health care and preventing suicide among people living with HIV: Perspectives of mental health professionals in Tanzania

People living with HIV (PLWH) experience unique stressors that contribute to emotional distress, and PLWH are more than twice as likely to die by suicide when compared to the general population. In countries like Tanzania, there is a relatively high burden of HIV but few resources to support mental health needs. To gain a better understanding of mental health challenges experienced by PLWH in northern Tanzania and identify opportunities for intervention, we interviewed 12 mental health professionals working in the Kilimanjaro region. Thematic analysis was used to explore drivers and impacts of emotional distress, community influences on mental health, and gaps and barriers to existing mental health care. Perspectives from mental health workers highlight the compounding effects of stress related to HIV status, family conflict, finances, and other social challenges, which can lead to poor HIV treatment outcomes and suicidal ideation. Cultural beliefs and stigma surrounding both mental health and HIV limit care-seeking behavior for mental health issues. Those who do seek care often encounter barriers related to poor mental health infrastructure, including a lack of providers, limited financial resources, and little integration into other health services. There is a clear need for investment in the mental health care system, as well as interventions to improve knowledge and perceptions of mental health and comprehensively address stressors. We describe feedback on a proposed telehealth counseling intervention integrated into routine HIV services, which shows strong potential to mitigate barriers to mental health treatment, reduce suicidal ideation, and support the wellbeing of PLWH.

Experiential Avoidance, Pain, and Suicide Risk in a National Sample of Gulf War Veterans

OBJECTIVE

Pain confers risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Experiential avoidance (EA), which is relevant to both pain and suicide risk, has not been studied as a potential mechanism for this relationship. The present study tested the hypothesis that pain indirectly impacts suicide risk through EA in a national sample of Gulf War veterans.

METHODS

Participants included a stratified random sample of United States veterans (N = 1,012, 78% male) who had served in the Gulf War region between August 1990 and July 1991. Validated scales were used to quantify levels of pain, EA, and suicide risk.

RESULTS

Regression analyses indicated independent associations between pain, EA, and suicide risk; moreover, the association between pain and suicide risk was no longer significant once EA was included in model. Bootstrapping analyses confirmed that EA partially accounted for the cross-sectional association between pain and suicide risk, independent of common co-occurring problems, such as depression, PTSD, and alcohol use disorder symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

EA could be a key modifiable risk factor to target in people experiencing pain.

Brain structural covariance network features are robust markers of early heavy alcohol use

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Recently, we demonstrated that a distinct pattern of structural covariance networks (SCN) from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived measurements of brain cortical thickness characterized young adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and predicted current and future problematic drinking in adolescents relative to controls. Here, we establish the robustness and value of SCN for identifying heavy alcohol users in three additional independent studies.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies using data from the Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition and Genetics (PING) study (n = 400, age range = 14-22 years), the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) (n = 272, age range = 17-22 years) and the Human Connectome Project (HCP) (n = 375, age range = 22-37 years).

CASES

Cases were defined based on heavy alcohol use patterns or former alcohol use disorder (AUD) diagnoses: 50, 68 and 61 cases were identified. Controls had none or low alcohol use or absence of AUD: 350, 204 and 314 controls were selected.

MEASUREMENTS

Graph theory metrics of segregation and integration were used to summarize SCN.

FINDINGS

Mirroring our prior findings, and across the three data sets, cases had a lower clustering coefficient [area under the curve (AUC) = -0.029, P = 0.002], lower modularity (AUC = -0.14, P = 0.004), lower average shortest path length (AUC = -0.078, P = 0.017) and higher global efficiency (AUC = 0.007, P = 0.010). Local efficiency differences were marginal (AUC = -0.017, P = 0.052). That is, cases exhibited lower network segregation and higher integration, suggesting that adjacent nodes (i.e. brain regions) were less similar in thickness whereas spatially distant nodes were more similar.

CONCLUSION

Structural covariance network (SCN) differences in the brain appear to constitute an early marker of heavy alcohol use in three new data sets and, more generally, demonstrate the utility of SCN-derived metrics to detect brain-related psychopathology.

Cognitive inflexibility and suicidal ideation among adolescents following hospitalization: The moderating role of life stress

BACKGROUND

Cognitive inflexibility has recently been investigated as potential vulnerability factor for suicidal ideation (SI), but the context in which it may convey risk is unclear. Life stress has also been reliably associated with SI among adolescents, and following a stress-diathesis model, may be a factor that moderates the relationship between cognitive inflexibility and SI.

METHODS

Psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (N = 259) at high risk for future SI were followed for 18 months after discharge. Interviews assessing life stress and SI and a neurocognitive task assessing cognitive inflexibility were conducted at six- and 12-months. SI was also assessed at 18-month post-discharge. Linear mixed models were used to determine the moderating effect of stress on the relationship between cognitive inflexibility and SI, accounting for relevant clinical and demographic covariates.

RESULTS

Chronic stress moderated the association between cognitive inflexibility and SI, with a stronger association found among youth with greater levels compared to lower levels of chronic stress. This finding was maintained after statistically adjusting for depressive symptoms and relevant demographic covariates. No prospective associations between cognitive inflexibility, life stress, and SI were found.

LIMITATIONS

SI was measured at 6-month intervals, precluding evaluation of the relationship on a more proximal timescale.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitively inflexible adolescents under conditions of high chronic stress are more likely to experience increased SI severity, supporting a cognitive inflexibility stress-diathesis model of SI in adolescents. The findings highlight the importance of assessing these modifiable factors among adolescents at a high risk for SI.

Validation of a culturally sensitive, Swahili-translated instrument to assess suicide risk among adults living with HIV in Tanzania

In Tanzania, there are high rates of suicidal thoughts and behavior among people living with HIV (PLWH), yet few instruments exist for effective screening and referral. To address this gap, we developed and validated Swahili translations of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screen Version and two accompanying scales assessing self-efficacy to avoid suicidal action and reasons for living. We administered a structured survey to 80 PLWH attending two HIV clinics in Moshi, Tanzania. Factor analysis of the items revealed four subscales: suicide intensity, self-efficacy to avoid suicide, fear and social concern about suicide, and family and spirituality deterrents to suicide. The area under the receiver operating curve showed only suicide intensity, and fear and social concern met the prespecified cutoff of ≥0.7 in accurately identifying patients with a plan and intent to act on suicidal thoughts. This study provides early evidence that brief screening of intensity of suicidality in the past month, assessed by the C-SSRS Screen Version, is a strong, resource-efficient strategy for identifying suicide risk in the Tanzanian setting. Patients who report little fear of dying and low concern about social perceptions of suicide may also be at increased risk.

Associations between alcohol use and sex-specific maturation of subcortical gray matter morphometry from adolescence to adulthood: Replication across two longitudinal samples

Subcortical brain morphometry matures across adolescence and young adulthood, a time when many youth engage in escalating levels of alcohol use. Initial cross-sectional studies have shown alcohol use is associated with altered subcortical morphometry. However, longitudinal evidence of sex-specific neuromaturation and associations with alcohol use remains limited. This project used generalized additive mixed models to examine sex-specific development of subcortical volumes and associations with recent alcohol use, using 7 longitudinal waves (n = 804, 51% female, ages 12-21 at baseline) from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA). A second, independent, longitudinal dataset, with up to four waves of data (n = 467, 43% female, ages 10-18 at baseline), was used to assess replicability. Significant, replicable non-linear normative volumetric changes with age were evident in the caudate, putamen, thalamus, pallidum, amygdala and hippocampus. Significant, replicable negative associations between subcortical volume and alcohol use were found in the hippocampus in all youth, and the caudate and thalamus in female but not male youth, with significant interactions present in the caudate, thalamus and putamen. Findings suggest a structural vulnerability to alcohol use, or a predisposition to drink alcohol based on brain structure, with female youth potentially showing heightened risk, compared to male youth.

Brief Report: Task-Shifting "Gold Standard" Clinical Assessment and Safety Planning for Suicide Risk Among People Living With HIV: A Feasibility and Fidelity Evaluation in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide, with suicide deaths occurring twice as frequently among PLWH than among the general public. In Tanzania, resources for mental health care are sorely lacking, with 55 psychiatrists and psychologists providing treatment for 60 million people. In light of this shortage, nonspecialists play a crucial role. The objective of this study was to assess feasibility of implementing task-shifted screening, assessment, and safety planning for suicide risk among PLWH.

SETTING

Two adult HIV clinics in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

METHODS

Registered professional nurses in the HIV clinics were trained to administer brief screening of suicidal ideation in the past month. Patients experiencing suicidal ideation were referred to bachelor's-level counselors for further assessment and safety planning, supervised by specialist providers who reviewed audio recordings for quality assurance.

RESULTS

During 180 days of implementation, nurses screened patients attending 2745 HIV appointments. Sixty-one (2.2%) endorsed suicidal ideation and were linked to further assessment and safety planning. We cross-checked screening with clinic attendance logs on 7 random days and found high fidelity to screening (206 of 228 screened, 90%). Quality assurance ratings demonstrated key assessment pieces were consistently completed (mean = 9.3/10 possible), with "Good" to "Excellent" counseling skills (mean = 23.7/28) and "Good" to "Excellent" quality (mean = 17.1/20), including appropriate referral for higher levels of care.

CONCLUSIONS

Brief screening can be implemented and paired with task-shifted counseling to facilitate high-quality assessment of suicide risk. This model shows excellent potential to extend mental health services for PLWH in low-resource settings.

Protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial of a telehealth-delivered counseling intervention to reduce suicidality and improve HIV care engagement in Tanzania

OBJECTIVE

Suicidal ideation is strikingly common among people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide, leading to higher burden of disease, poor HIV care engagement, and loss of life. In low- and middle-income countries such as Tanzania, mental health resources are scarce, requiring innovative strategies for treatment. We describe the protocol for a clinical trial of a three-session telehealth counseling intervention to reduce suicidality and improve HIV care engagement in Tanzania.

METHODS

In a pilot randomized controlled trial, we will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a new telehealth intervention, termed "IDEAS for Hope". A total of 60 PLWH will be enrolled from two HIV clinics in the Kilimanjaro region and connected to telehealth counsellors based at a large regional hospital. Participants will be ≥18 years old and speak either Kiswahili or English. Patient screening will occur during routine HIV clinical care to identify PLWH experiencing suicidal ideation. Baseline surveys will be administered upon enrollment and participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive either IDEAS for Hope or the comparison condition, a brief safety planning session. All participants will receive an additional referral for psychiatric treatment. Follow-up assessment will occur at three months. IDEAS for Hope is informed by a Motivational Interviewing-enhanced safety planning intervention (MI-SafeCope) and our formative work in Tanzania. The model consists of Four Pillars: living healthy with HIV, managing HIV stigma, seeking social support, and meeting basic needs. Together, these mechanisms serve as a foundation for developing a sense of safety and hope for the future. Outcome measures will include intervention feasibility, acceptability, participant suicidality, and HIV care engagement.

SIGNIFICANCE

Innovative, telehealth-based counseling represents a promising treatment for suicidality among PLWH in low-resource settings. Results from this pilot trial will inform intervention refinement and parameter estimates for a future clinical trial powered to evaluate effectiveness.

A scoping review of counseling interventions for suicide prevention in Africa: Few studies address this life-saving aspect of mental health treatment

BACKGROUND

Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide each year, with 77 % occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Suicide is underestimated in many African settings due to challenges in data collection, stigma, and policies that promote silence; nonetheless, rates of suicide in Africa are consistently higher than global averages.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of counseling interventions assessing suicide outcomes among adults in Africa using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, African Index Medicus, CABI Global Health, and Proquest databases. Study screening and data extraction was informed by the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis.

RESULTS

Of 2438 abstracts reviewed, 33 studies met criteria for full-text review and 13 were included in the analysis. Interventions served several populations, including people living with HIV, out of school youth, university students, and women undergoing obstetric fistula repair. There was a near-equal split in individual versus group counseling modalities and the use of professional versus lay counselors. The majority of interventions had primary outcomes focused on other mental health or social variables with a secondary focus on suicide. Mechanisms of change for suicide prevention were poorly articulated.

LIMITATIONS

The review was limited to English-language studies conducted after 2001 and excluded qualitative studies and those with fewer than 10 participants.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear paucity of research in this area, particularly in the lack of randomized clinical trials and studies with suicide prevention as their primary outcome. Researchers should seek to develop or adapt evidence-based, culturally-resonant interventions to reduce the burden of suicide on the African continent.

Risk for depression tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic in emerging adults followed for the last 8 years

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly increased depression rates, particularly in emerging adults. The aim of this study was to examine longitudinal changes in depression risk before and during COVID-19 in a cohort of emerging adults in the U.S. and to determine whether prior drinking or sleep habits could predict the severity of depressive symptoms during the pandemic.

METHODS

Participants were 525 emerging adults from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA), a five-site community sample including moderate-to-heavy drinkers. Poisson mixed-effect models evaluated changes in the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) from before to during COVID-19, also testing for sex and age interactions. Additional analyses examined whether alcohol use frequency or sleep duration measured in the last pre-COVID assessment predicted pandemic-related increase in depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of risk for clinical depression tripled due to a substantial and sustained increase in depressive symptoms during COVID-19 relative to pre-COVID years. Effects were strongest for younger women. Frequent alcohol use and short sleep duration during the closest pre-COVID visit predicted a greater increase in COVID-19 depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The sharp increase in depression risk among emerging adults heralds a public health crisis with alarming implications for their social and emotional functioning as this generation matures. In addition to the heightened risk for younger women, the role of alcohol use and sleep behavior should be tracked through preventive care aiming to mitigate this looming mental health crisis.

Help-seeking among psychiatrically hospitalized military personnel at risk for suicide

INTRODUCTION

Promoting help-seeking is a key suicide prevention strategy. Yet, research on help-seeking patterns by high-risk individuals is limited. This study examined help-seeking among United States military Service members admitted for psychiatric inpatient care.

METHODS

Participants were active duty Service members (N = 111) psychiatrically hospitalized for a suicide-related event. Data were collected as part of a larger randomized controlled trial. Reported types and perceived helpfulness of resources sought 30 days before hospitalization were examined. Hierarchical binary logistic regressions were used to examine associations among types of helping resources, mental health treatment stigma, and perceived social support.

RESULTS

Approximately 90% of participants sought help prior to hospitalization, most frequently from behavioral health providers and friends. Accessed resources were generally considered helpful. Adjusting for covariates, mental health treatment stigma was not associated with seeking help from any resource type. Higher perceived social support was associated with greater likelihood of help-seeking from a friend (OR = 1.08, p = 0.013 [95% CI = 1.02, 1.14]). Marital status, education level, and organizational barriers were associated with specific types of resources, and/or not seeking help.

CONCLUSION

Help-seeking is a complex human behavior. Promoting help-seeking among vulnerable subgroups requires further understanding of multiple interconnected factors.

The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act: A Description and Review of the Suicide Prevention Initiative

The Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Memorial Act, continuously funded since 2004, has supported comprehensive, community-based youth suicide prevention efforts throughout the United States. Compared to matched communities, communities implementing GLS suicide prevention activities have lower population rates of suicide attempts and lower mortality among young people. Positive outcomes have been more pronounced with continuous years of implementation and in less densely populated communities. Cost analyses indicate that implementation of GLS suicide prevention activities more than pays for itself in reduced health care costs associated with fewer emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Although findings are encouraging, the heterogeneity of community suicide prevention programs and the lack of randomized trials preclude definitive determination of causal effects associated with GLS. The GLS initiative has never been brought fully to scale (e.g., simultaneously impacting all communities in the United States), so beneficial effects on nationwide suicide rates have not been realized. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, Volume 19 is May 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Earlier Bedtime and Effective Coping Skills Predict a Return to Low-Risk of Depression in Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

To determine the persistent effects of the pandemic on mental health in young adults, we categorized depressive symptom trajectories and sought factors that promoted a reduction in depressive symptoms in high-risk individuals. Specifically, longitudinal analysis investigated changes in the risk for depression before and during the pandemic until December 2021 in 399 young adults (57% female; age range: 22.8 ± 2.6 years) in the United States (U.S.) participating in the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) was administered multiple times before and during the pandemic. A score ≥10 identified individuals at high-risk for depression. Self-reported sleep behavior, substance use, and coping skills at the start of the pandemic were assessed as predictors for returning to low-risk levels while controlling for demographic factors. The analysis identified four trajectory groups regarding depression risk, with 38% being at low-risk pre-pandemic through 2021, 14% showing persistent high-risk pre-pandemic through 2021, and the remainder converting to high-risk either in June 2020 (30%) or later (18%). Of those who became high-risk in June 2020, 51% were no longer at high-risk in 2021. Logistic regression revealed that earlier bedtime and, for the older participants (mid to late twenties), better coping skills were associated with this declining risk. Results indicate divergence in trajectories of depressive symptoms, with a considerable number of young adults developing persistent depressive symptoms. Healthy sleep behavior and specific coping skills have the potential to promote remittance from depressive symptoms in the context of the pandemic.

Cannabis use and suicide risk among Gulf War veterans

Cannabis use has been indicated as a risk factor for suicide in veterans. This study of Gulf War veterans tested the relationship between self-report past year cannabis use and (a) past year suicidal ideation and (b) risk for suicidal behavior. Data were from a national sample (N = 1126) of Gulf War veterans. Logistic regression models indicated cannabis use was associated with past year suicidal ideation and elevated risk for suicidal behavior, independent of key covariates. In corroboration with research on other military populations, this study indicates a potentially concerning association between cannabis use and suicide risk in Gulf War veterans.

Did the acute impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drinking or nicotine use persist? Evidence from a cohort of emerging adults followed for up to nine years

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drinking and nicotine use through June of 2021 in a community-based sample of young adults.

METHOD

Data were from 348 individuals (49% female) enrolled in a long-term longitudinal study with an accelerated longitudinal design: the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) Study. Individuals completed pre-pandemic assessments biannually from 2016 to early 2020, then completed up to three web-based, during-pandemic surveys in June 2020, December 2020, and June 2021. Assessments when individuals were 18.8-22.4 years old (N = 1,458) were used to compare drinking and nicotine use pre-pandemic vs. at each of the three during-pandemic timepoints, adjusting for the age-related increases expected over time.

RESULTS

Compared to pre-pandemic, participants were less likely to report past-month drinking in June or December 2020, but there was an increase in drinking days among drinkers in June 2020. By June 2021, both the prevalence of past-month drinking and number of drinking days among drinks were similar to pre-pandemic levels. On average, there were no statistically significant differences between pre-pandemic and during-pandemic time points for binge drinking, typical drinking quantity, or nicotine use. Young adults who reported an adverse financial impact of the pandemic showed increased nicotine use while their peers showed stable or decreased nicotine use.

CONCLUSION

Initial effects of the pandemic on alcohol use faded by June 2021, and on average there was little effect of the pandemic on nicotine use.

Innovations in suicide prevention research (INSPIRE): a protocol for a population-based case-control study

BACKGROUND

Suicide deaths have been increasing for the past 20 years in the USA resulting in 45 979 deaths in 2020, a 29% increase since 1999. Lack of data linkage between entities with potential to implement large suicide prevention initiatives (health insurers, health institutions and corrections) is a barrier to developing an integrated framework for suicide prevention.

OBJECTIVES

Data linkage between death records and several large administrative datasets to (1) estimate associations between risk factors and suicide outcomes, (2) develop predictive algorithms and (3) establish long-term data linkage workflow to ensure ongoing suicide surveillance.

METHODS

We will combine six data sources from North Carolina, the 10th most populous state in the USA, from 2006 onward, including death certificate records, violent deaths reporting system, large private health insurance claims data, Medicaid claims data, University of North Carolina electronic health records and data on justice involved individuals released from incarceration. We will determine the incidence of death from suicide, suicide attempts and ideation in the four subpopulations to establish benchmarks. We will use a nested case-control design with incidence density-matched population-based controls to (1) identify short-term and long-term risk factors associated with suicide attempts and mortality and (2) develop machine learning-based predictive algorithms to identify individuals at risk of suicide deaths.

DISCUSSION

We will address gaps from prior studies by establishing an in-depth linked suicide surveillance system integrating multiple large, comprehensive databases that permit establishment of benchmarks, identification of predictors, evaluation of prevention efforts and establishment of long-term surveillance workflow protocols.

Understanding the clinical characteristics of lesbian, gay, and bisexual military service members and adult beneficiaries within an inpatient psychiatric sample

BACKGROUND

Limited knowledge exists regarding targets for suicide-focused care among high-risk United States (U.S.) civilian and military sexual minorities.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to understand the demographic and clinical characteristics of a suicidal sexual minority sample, psychiatrically hospitalized in military treatment facilities, to advance future targeted care for this vulnerable subgroup.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of baseline data from a multisite psychotherapy randomized controlled trial was performed comparing those who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB; n = 39) to heterosexual participants (n = 170).

RESULTS

LGB participants were more likely than heterosexual participants to be younger, female, never married, and enlisted rank. LGB participants reported significantly lower family support, higher perceived burdensomeness, lower acquired capability for suicide, and were twice as likely to report that they could not control their suicidal thoughts. LGB and heterosexual participants reported similar levels of other suicide risk indicators and similar lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt histories.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to heterosexual participants, LGB participants reported increased risk indicators for suicide yet similar lifetime suicidal ideation and attempt histories. Suicide prevention programs should address the unique needs of this vulnerable subgroup. Interventions targeting family support, perceived burdensomeness, and controllability of suicidal thoughts may be promising.

Adaptive Treatment for Youth With Substance Use and Depression: Early Depression Response and Short-term Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate prevalence and predictors of early depression response (EDR) in adolescents with substance use and depression receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for substance use and to test the efficacy of supplemental CBT targeting depression (CBT-D) for non-EDR adolescents in an adaptive treatment approach.

METHOD

At 2 sites, 95 youths (ages 14-21, mean [SD] = 17.4 [1.8]) with alcohol or cannabis use and depressive symptoms received up to 12 sessions of CBT for substance use over 14 weeks. Assessments were at baseline and weeks 4, 9, and 14. The Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised was the primary depression measure, with a reduction of 50% or more on this scale at week 4 defining EDR. The primary substance use outcomes of alcohol use, heavy alcohol use, and cannabis use frequency were assessed via interview report on the Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire and the Drug Checklist. Urinalysis provided a secondary measure of cannabis use. Non-EDR adolescents were randomly assigned to supplemental CBT-D or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU).

RESULTS

Thirty-five adolescents (37%; 95% CI, 27%-47%) demonstrated EDR. Fewer days of cannabis use (odds ratio 0.977; 95% CI, 0.961-0.992) and absence of conduct disorder (odds ratio 0.149; 95% CI, 0.031-0.716) predicted EDR. Frequency of drinking (F_1,82 = 11.09, η² = 0.119, p = .001), heavy drinking (F_1,82 = 19.91, η² = 0.195, p < .0001), and cannabis use (F_1,220 = 35.01, η² = 0.137, p < .001) decreased over time for EDR, CBT-D, and ETAU adolescents, with EDR adolescents evidencing earlier lower cannabis use (F_2,220 = 4.16, η² = 0.036, p = .0169). Negative (clean) urine screens increased over time (F_1,219 = 5.10, η² = 0.023, p = .0249). Comparison of CBT-D and ETAU indicated that depression significantly decreased over time in both groups (F_1,48 = 64.20, η² = 0.572, p < .001), with no advantage for CBT-D.

CONCLUSION

Approximately one-third of adolescents with substance use and depression attain EDR during substance use treatment. Less frequent cannabis use facilitates depression response. The relatively small sample may have precluded identification of additional EDR predictors.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Treatment for Teens With Alcohol Abuse and Depression; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT02227589.

"Lock and Protect": Development of a Digital Decision Aid to Support Lethal Means Counseling in Parents of Suicidal Youth

Objective: Reducing access to lethal methods is an effective suicide prevention strategy that is often neglected in routine care. Digital interventions have shown promise for addressing such gaps in care; and decision aids have proven useful for supporting complicated health-related decisions, like those involving lethal means restriction. This article describes a parent/caregiver-facing web-based decision aid, the development process, and user testing. Method: A user-centered, participatory, mixed methods development design was employed. Beginning with an adult-focused decision aid developed by members of our team, we assessed ten iterations of the parent/caregiver decision aid with stakeholders (N = 85) using qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. Stakeholders included: parents/caregivers whose children had histories of suicidal episodes before age 25, young adults with histories of suicidal thoughts/behaviors, firearm owners/representatives from firearm stores/ranges/groups, mental and medical health care providers, and emergency responders. Results: The final "Lock and Protect" decision aid was viewed as "useful for changing access to lethal means" by 100% of participants. Ninety-four percent of participants rated the information on reducing access to lethal means as good to excellent, and 91% rated the information on storage options as good to excellent. Qualitative feedback underscored a preference for offering this digital tool with a "human touch," as part of safety and discharge planning. Conclusions: "Lock and Protect" is a user-friendly web-based tool with potential for improving rates of lethal means counseling for parents/caregivers of suicidal youth and ultimately reducing pre-mature deaths by suicide.

A latent class analysis of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse history among suicidal inpatients

OBJECTIVE

Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse are subtypes of childhood abuse that may persist into adulthood. This study applied latent class analysis to describe the pattern of co-occurrence of these three abuse subtypes during childhood and adulthood and examined latent class differences in psychosocial characteristics and three types of suicide attempt history (aborted, interrupted, and actual).

METHODS

Data were drawn from a high-risk sample of 115 military service members and adult beneficiaries who were psychiatrically hospitalized following a suicide-related crisis.

RESULTS

Three latent classes were identified: Multiple and Persistent Abuse (Class One: 29.6%), Childhood Physical and Persistent Emotional Abuse (Class Two: 27.0%), and Minimal Abuse (Class Three: 43.5%). Females were more likely than males to report a history of Multiple and Persistent Abuse. After controlling for gender, the Multiple and Persistent Abuse Class had higher scores of depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking, poorer sleep quality, and increased social stress than the Minimal Abuse Class. Moreover, the Multiple and Persistent Abuse Class was associated with increased likelihood of lifetime interrupted suicide attempt (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.81, 95% CI = 1.20, 12.07) and actual suicide attempt (OR = 3.65, 95% CI = 1.23, 10.85), and had the greatest number of total actual suicide attempt (1.82 times on average).

CONCLUSION

Co-occurrence of multiple subtypes of abuse across development is associated with higher psychosocial risk and history of suicide attempt. The assessment of specific subtypes of abuse and their timing may inform case conceptualization and the management of suicide risk among psychiatric inpatients.

Trauma-informed care for youth suicide prevention: A qualitative analysis of caregivers' perspectives

OBJECTIVE

Research shows elevated rates of trauma exposure and traumatic stress among youth with suicidal thoughts and behaviors, underscoring the need for a trauma-informed approach to suicide prevention and intervention. The purpose of this study was to identify, from the perspective of caregivers, clinical practices that are sensitive to the needs of youth with co-occurring traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as common barriers to receiving care.

METHOD

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 caregivers of youth with trauma histories and comorbid suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. Interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach.

RESULTS

Qualitative analysis of interviews revealed themes related to the need for caregiver involvement in treatment, the impact of therapist and relationship characteristics such as authenticity and genuineness, and the importance of provider education about trauma. Common barriers included difficulties navigating the mental health system and cost.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide guidance on how mental health providers can effectively recognize and respond to traumatic stress among youth presenting with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. System-level issues related to accessibility also are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Social Rejection and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts among Adolescents Following Hospitalization: a Prospective Study

Despite research indicating that stressful life events are associated with subsequent suicidal ideation (SI) and behavior, there is a lack of clarity regarding whether specific types of life events are differentially related to SI and attempts. The current prospective study examines whether social rejection related life events are proximally related to SI and suicide attempts in a clinically acute sample of adolescents. Adolescents aged 12 to 18 (n = 219) were followed for 6 months after discharge from inpatient hospitalization. A contextual threat interview of stressful life events between index admission and 6-month follow-up was administered. Participants were also assessed for current SI and suicide attempts at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results from a multiple linear regression model indicated a significant prospective association between number of social rejection stressors and SI, even after controlling for baseline depressive symptoms, SI at study entry, gender, age, and number of non-social rejections stressors. An Anderson-Gill recurrent events model was conducted to examine the relationship between SR stressors and suicide attempts. Results demonstrated that the 31 days following a major social rejection stressor were associated with heightened risk for prospective suicide attempts. However, social rejection stressors were not more strongly related to risk for suicide attempt than non-social rejection stressors. These findings help clarify the role of social rejection as a precipitant of suicidal crises and have potential to inform more accurate, targeted risk assessment.

Feasibility of an Integrated Treatment Approach for Youth with Depression, Suicide Attempts, and Substance Use Problems

Depression, suicidal behaviors and substance use problems frequently co-occur, and treatment for youth with these co-occurring problems is often fragmented and challenging. An integrated cognitive-behavioral treatment approach that builds upon a relapse prevention framework and applies common core skills, language, and approach for treating these related problems may be clinically beneficial. Following a description of the integrated approach, we present results of a pilot trial (n = 13) to examine the acceptability and feasibility of the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - Relapse Prevention (CBT-RP) intervention plus enhanced treatment as usual (TAU) compared to enhanced TAU alone. The feasibility of the CBT-RP + TAU intervention was reflected by high rates of retention (86%). The acceptability was reflected in positive evaluations regarding the helpfulness of the intervention by adolescents and families. The majority of youth in both CBT-RP + TAU and TAU alone groups evidenced reductions in depression and suicide ideation from study entry to Week 20. Patterns of reduction were more consistent, however, for youth receiving CBT-RP + TAU, and reductions were slower to emerge for some youth receiving TAU alone. Reductions in alcohol and marijuana problems were similar, but half of the youth in TAU alone (and none in the CBT-RP + TAU group) had emergency department visits related to psychiatric crises or substance related problems. These findings, although based on a small sample, underscore the feasibility and acceptability of an integrated cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention approach for youth with depression, suicide attempt histories, and substance use problems.