Skills to Enhance Positivity in Suicidal Adolescents: Results From an Open Development Trial

The Report of Access and Engagement With Digital Health Interventions Among Children and Young People: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Digital health interventions are increasingly used to deliver health-related interventions for children and young people to change health behaviors and improve health outcomes. Digital health interventions have the potential to enhance access to and engagement with children and young people; however, they may also increase the divide between those who can access technology and are supported to engage and those who are not. This review included studies that reported on the access to or engagement with digital health interventions among children and young people.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to identify and report on access and engagement in studies involving digital health interventions among children and young people.

METHODS

A systematic review following the Joanna Briggs Institute methods for conducting systematic reviews was conducted. An electronic literature search was conducted for all studies published between January 1, 2010, and August 2022, across sources, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Studies were included if they examined any aspect of access or engagement in relation to interventions among children and young people. The quality of the included papers was assessed, and data were extracted. Data were considered for meta-analysis, where possible.

RESULTS

A total of 3292 references were identified using search terms. Following the exclusion of duplicates and review by inclusion criteria, 40 studies were independently appraised for their methodological quality. A total of 16 studies were excluded owing to their low assessed quality and flawed critical elements in the study design. The studies focused on a variety of health conditions; type 1 diabetes, weight management and obesity, mental health issues, and sexual health were the predominant conditions. Most studies were conducted in developed countries, with most of them being conducted in the United States. Two studies reported data related to access and considered ethnicity and social determinants. No studies used strategies to enhance or increase access. All studies included in the review reported on at least 1 aspect of engagement. Engagement with interventions was measured in relation to frequency of engagement, with no reference to the concept of effective engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Most digital health interventions do not consider the factors that can affect access and engagement. Of those studies that measured either access or engagement or both, few sought to implement strategies to improve access or engagement to address potential disparities between groups. Although the literature to date provides some insight into access and engagement and how these are addressed in digital health interventions, there are major limitations in understanding how both can be enhanced to promote equity. Consideration of both access and engagement is vital to ensure that children and young people have the ability to participate in studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020170874; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=170874.

Skills to Enhance Positivity in adolescents at risk for suicide: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Suicide and suicidal behavior during adolescence have been steadily increasing over the past two decades. The preponderance of interventions focuses on crisis intervention, underlying psychiatric disorders, regulating negative affect, and reducing cognitive distortions. However, low positive affectivity may be a mechanism that contributes to adolescent suicidal ideation and behaviors independent of other risk factors. Skills to Enhance Positivity (STEP) is an acceptance-based intervention, designed to increase attention to, and awareness of, positive affect and positive experiences. Results from a pilot RCT demonstrated engagement of the target (positive affect) and a decrease in clinical outcomes (suicidal events; i.e., either a suicide attempt or an emergency intervention for an acute suicidal crisis), providing support to test the clinical effectiveness of STEP in a larger clinical trial with clinical staff implementing the intervention.

OBJECTIVE

To test the effectiveness of STEP, compared to Enhanced Treatment as Usual (ETAU), in reducing suicidal events and ideation in adolescents admitted to inpatient psychiatric care due to suicide risk. We hypothesize that those randomized to STEP, compared to ETAU, will have lower rates of suicide events, active suicidal ideation (SI), and depressed mood over the 6-month follow-up period. We hypothesize that those randomized to STEP, compared to ETAU, will demonstrate greater improvement in the hypothesized mechanisms of attention to positive affect stimuli and gratitude and satisfaction with life.

METHODS

Participants will be randomized to either STEP or ETAU. STEP consists of four in-person sessions focused on psychoeducation regarding positive and negative affect, mindfulness meditation, gratitude, and savoring. Mood monitoring prompts and skill reminders will be sent via text messaging daily for the first month post-discharge and every other day for the following two months. The ETAU condition will receive text-delivered reminders to use a safety plan provided at discharge from the hospital and healthy habits messages, matched in frequency to the STEP group. This trial was registered on 6 August 2021 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04994873).

RESULTS

The STEP protocol was approved by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Data and Safety Monitoring Board on March 4, 2022. The RCT is currently in progress.

DISCUSSION

The STEP protocol is an innovative, adjunctive treatment that has the potential to have positive effects on adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts beyond that found for standard treatment alone.

The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Suicide Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to be effective in treating several psychological difficulties, to date, no review has systematically examined their effectiveness in treating or preventing suicide. The goals of the present study were to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of MBIs in treating suicide and (2) understand how individual characteristics and characteristics of MBIs influence treatment outcomes through a systematic meta-analysis. A search of PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses was conducted in February 2019. A total of 12 publications (13 studies, n = 627) were included. MBIs demonstrated significant moderate effects on suicidal ideation in pre-post studies and small effects in controlled studies. In addition, MBIs demonstrated significant moderate effects in both samples of individuals with histories of depression and histories of suicidal ideation or attempts. Moreover, MBIs led to clinically significant reductions in suicidal ideation and depression. Female participants, older samples, and longer treatments showed greater treatment effects, although these relationships were weak. Results suggest that MBIs may be promising treatments for suicidal ideation; however, more research is needed to establish the effects of these treatments as well as the mechanisms through which MBIs reduce suicide.

Differential time varying associations among affective states and suicidal ideation among adolescents following hospital discharge

Suicide is a major public health problem among adolescents. Identifying factors that confer increased risk for suicidal ideation, particularly during the high-risk period following psychiatric hospitalization, is essential for preventing suicide in this population. Negative and positive affect are two such important modifiable risk factors. This study examined relationships between specific affective states and suicidal ideation, collected via daily diary, as continuous functions of time among discharged adolescents. Adolescents hospitalized for suicidal ideation and/or behavior responded to daily surveys for four weeks after discharge (N = 34; 952 observations). Time-varying effects models (TVEM) were used to predict same- and next-day suicidal ideation. Examining between-persons effects, adolescents reporting greater misery and less happiness compared to others had a significantly increased likelihood of same-day suicidal ideation; between-person anger was not significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Within-persons effects suggested that elevated same-day, but not previous-day, misery and anger were associated with suicidal ideation. Elevated within-person happiness was protective for same-day suicidal ideation, but was also associated with next-day suicidal ideation. These findings begin to clarify not only which, but when, specific affective processes influence suicidal ideation for discharged adolescents. These dynamic risk factors represent modifiable treatment targets relevant for real-time interventions.

Prospective and Concurrent Affective Dynamics in Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: An Examination in Young Adult Women

Affective dynamics, assessed using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), provide a nuanced understanding of within-person fluctuations of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) in daily life. NA and PA dynamics have been associated with psychopathology and response to psychological treatments. NA and PA dynamics have been rarely studied concurrently in association with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB), transdiagnostic difficulties encountered regularly in clinical and community settings. Here we present EMA data from a large, diverse sample of young adult women with high rates of SITB to examine NA and PA dynamics (mean intensity, variability, and inertia). Specifically, we considered the prospective associations between past-year suicidal thoughts and past-year nonsuicidal self-injury and affective dynamics, as well as the concurrent associations between affective dynamics, EMA-reported suicidal thoughts, and EMA-reported urges for nonsuicidal self-injury. Results demonstrate that elevated mean NA and NA variability are robustly associated with all types of SITB assessed prospectively or concurrently. Interestingly, these associations were weakest for past-year nonsuicidal self-injurious behaviors, relative to past-year and concurrent suicidal or nonsuicidal self-injurious thoughts. Past-year suicidal thoughts further predicted increased NA inertia. Decreased PA inertia was associated with past-year nonsuicidal self-injury behavior, as well as concurrent EMA suicidal thoughts. We found no associations (prospective or concurrent) between SITB and mean PA intensity or PA variability. These results highlight the importance of understanding affective processes to develop real-world interventions to prevent nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior in daily life.

Interventions to reduce self-harm on in-patient wards: systematic review

BACKGROUND

Incidents of self-harm are common on psychiatric wards. There are a wide variety of therapeutic, social and environmental interventions that have shown some promise in reducing self-harm in in-patient settings, but there is no consensus on the most appropriate means of reducing and managing self-harm during in-patient admissions.

AIMS

To review interventions used to reduce self-harm and suicide attempts on adolescent and adult psychiatric in-patient wards.

METHOD

A systematic literature search was conducted between 14 March 2019 and 25 January 2021 using PsycINFO and Medline (PROSPERO ID: CRD42019129046). A total of 23 papers were identified for full review.

RESULTS

Interventions fell into two categories, therapeutic interventions given to individual patients and organisational interventions aimed at improving patient-staff communication and the overall ward milieu. Dialectical behaviour therapy was the most frequently implemented and effective therapeutic intervention, with seven of eight studies showing some benefit. Three of the six ward-based interventions reduced self-harm. Two studies that used a combined therapeutic and ward-based approach significantly reduced self-harm on the wards. The quality of the studies was highly variable, and some interventions were poorly described. There was no indication of harmful impact of any of the approaches reported in this review.

CONCLUSIONS

A number of approaches show some promise in reducing self-harm, but the evidence is not strong enough to recommend any particular approach. Current evidence remains weak overall but provides a foundation for a more robust programme of research aimed at providing a more substantial evidence base for this neglected problem on wards.

Treatment compliance and risk and protective factors for suicide ideation to completed suicide in adolescents: a systematic review

Objective:

To review the literature regarding adolescent suicide risk and explore the associations between treatment compliance (expressed as a concept including measured adherence to treatment and/or mental health service utilization) and risk and protective factors for suicidal behavior (SB), as well as the association between treatment compliance and reattempts.

Methods:

PubMed, LILACS, and Google Scholar were searched using the following terms: (adolescent*) AND (suicide*) AND (risk factor OR protective factors) AND (treatment compliance OR treatment attrition OR treatment adherence OR treatment drop out OR treatment retention OR mental health utilization). We retrieved studies that focused on the relation of treatment compliance to risk and protective factors for SB and that had only adolescent samples.

Results:

Of 4,841 articles, 30 original articles were selected for review. Most studies indicated high mental health service (MHS) utilization and poor treatment adherence by SB patients. Social minority status and conduct disorder were associated with less treatment adherence, while female sex, parental perceived need for treatment, and major depression were associated with greater treatment adherence. Inpatient and intensive emergency care after SA and family interventions improved MHS utilization and treatment compliance. However, we found no substantial protective effect of treatment compliance against reattempts.

Conclusion:

Effective treatment planning for compliance requires considering psychopathology, treatment planning, and social, familial, and individual factors.

The Role of Technology and the Continuum of Care for Youth Suicidality: Systematic Review

Background

Youth suicide is a global public health issue, and using technology is one strategy to increase participation in preventive interventions. However, there is minimal knowledge on how technology-enhanced interventions for youth correspond to the stages of care, from illness or risk recognition to treatment follow-up.

Objective

This systematic review aims to examine the efficacy of technology-enhanced youth suicide prevention and interventions across the continuum of care.

Methods

Four electronic databases were searched up to spring 2019 for youth suicide preventive interventions that used technology. The review was not restricted by study design and eligible studies could report outcomes on suicidality or related behaviors, such as formal treatment initiation. An adapted version of the Methodological Quality Ratings Scale was used to assess study quality.

Results

A total of 26 studies were identified. The findings support the emerging efficacy of technology-enhanced interventions, including a decline in suicidality and an increase in proactive behaviors. However, evidence suggests that there are gaps in the continuum of care and recent study samples do not represent the diverse identities of vulnerable youth.

Conclusions

The majority of identified studies were conducted in school settings and were universal interventions that aligned with the illness and risk recognition and help-seeking stages of the continuum of care. This field could be strengthened by having future studies target the stages of assessment and treatment initiation, include diverse youth demographics, and examine the varying roles of providers and technological components in emerging interventions.

Sexual orientation differences in non-suicidal self-injury, suicidality, and psychosocial factors among an inpatient psychiatric sample of adolescents

Within broader community samples, sexual minority adolescents (SMA, e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) are at greater risk than their heterosexual counterparts for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The present study investigated whether sexual minority orientation continues to confer additional risk for these behaviors in an already higher-risk sample of youth. Frequency and function of NSSI, suicidal behavior, and psychosocial factors were assessed in a sample of 52 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit due to suicide risk; 27 of them identified as SMA, and 25 as heterosexual (HA). Greater proportions of SMA reported engaging in lifetime NSSI, compared to HA, with a greater variety and frequency of NSSI behaviors and greater endorsement of intrapersonal NSSI functions. SMA reported higher levels of suicide ideation than HA, but not suicidal behavior. Group differences in NSSI and SI persisted when controlling for the greater prevalence of abuse and levels of peer-victimization reported by SMA. In inpatient clinical settings, SMA may be more likely than heterosexual youth to engage in NSSI, including more severe forms, and to experience suicide ideation. Providing alternative coping mechanisms may serve as treatment goals for reducing NSSI in SMA.

Skills to Enhance Positivity in Suicidal Adolescents: Results from a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of an intervention, Skills to Enhance Positivity (STEP) that aims to increase attention to positive emotions and experiences and to decrease suicidal events. STEP involves four in-person individual sessions delivered during an inpatient psychiatric admission, followed by one month of weekly phone calls and daily text messages with mood monitoring and skills practice. A pilot randomized controlled trial of STEP vs. enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) was conducted with 52 adolescents. Results indicated that on average 83% of sessions were completed and that on 70% of days, participants engaged with the text-messaging component of the intervention. Acceptability for both in-person and text-messaging components were also high, with satisfaction ratings averaging between good and excellent. STEP participants reported fewer suicide events than ETAU participants (6 vs. 13) after six months of follow-up.