Trial results for a study investigating engagement strategies for suicidal patients were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-06-08, with 29 participants enrolled.
Background
Suicide is a critical public health concern, often associated with depression and other mental health impairments. Engaging individuals at risk of suicide in mental health treatment is a crucial step in prevention. Understanding the barriers and facilitators to treatment attendance is essential for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to identify characteristics of suicidal patients regarding their attendance at initial mental health visits and to develop preliminary engagement strategies based on these insights, leveraging principles from implementation science and behavioral economics.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 29 participants to investigate conditions including Suicide, Depression, Mental Health Impairment, Suicidal Ideation, and Suicidal. The trial examined preliminary engagement strategies, including Caring Contacts, Reminders, Informational Poster, and Motivational Interviewing, to assess their acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility.
Key results
The trial reported several key measurements related to the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of various engagement strategies:
- Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) (score on a scale):
- For the "Caring Contacts" group, the mean score was 3.96 (Standard Deviation 0.86).
- For the "Reminders" group, the mean score was 4.40 (Standard Deviation 0.55).
- For the "Informational Poster" group, the mean score was 3.88 (Standard Deviation 0.18).
- For the "Motivational Interviewing" group, the mean score was 3.34 (Standard Deviation 0.83).
- Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) (score on a scale):
- For the "Caring Contacts" group, the mean score was 3.88 (Standard Deviation 0.81).
- For the "Reminders" group, the mean score was 4.40 (Standard Deviation 0.89).
- For the "Informational Poster" group, the mean score was 4.00 (Standard Deviation 0.00).
- For the "Motivational Interviewing" group, the mean score was 3.25 (Standard Deviation 1.14).
- Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) (score on a scale):
- For the "Caring Contacts" group, the mean score was 3.77 (Standard Deviation 0.86).
- For the "Reminders" group, the mean score was 4.30 (Standard Deviation 0.67).
- For the "Informational Poster" group, the mean score was 4.00 (Standard Deviation 0.00).
- For the "Motivational Interviewing" group, the mean score was 3.16 (Standard Deviation 1.25).
What this means
The posted results offer insights into the perceived acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of different strategies aimed at engaging suicidal patients in mental health treatment. Among the evaluated strategies, "Reminders" consistently demonstrated the highest mean scores across the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM), and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM). Conversely, "Motivational Interviewing" generally received the lowest scores. These findings can inform the refinement and development of future interventions designed to improve mental health treatment attendance for individuals at risk of suicide.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05021224, titled "Engaging Suicidal Patients in Mental Health Treatment", were posted on 2025-06-08 on clinicaltrials.gov.