Intervening to Reduce Suicide Risk in Veterans With Substance Use Disorders
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02439762 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : May 12, 2015
Last Update Posted : July 7, 2021
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Suicide Suicidal Ideation Substance-Related Disorders | Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Behavioral: Supportive Psycho-education (SPC) | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 300 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Actual Study Start Date : | July 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | June 12, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | June 30, 2021 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The CBT condition will cover topics such as orienting the patient to the cognitive model of suicidal thoughts, plans and behaviors and the role of substance use in increasing the likelihood of suicidal behaviors and presenting tools to help patients better manage responses to suicide-related triggers.
|
Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The therapeutic intervention group consists of 8, one-hour individual therapy sessions delivered over the course of 3-4 weeks with a trained CBT therapist. These sessions are designed to provide beneficial coping strategies that are helpful in dealing with both substance use and suicidal thoughts. |
Active Comparator: Supportive Psycho-education (SPC)
The SPC condition is designed to match the CBT condition in terms of level of attention and the non-specific aspects of receiving support for a suicidal crisis and substance misuse. Specific content related to suicide risk will consist of general information about suicide-related resources available, while content related to substance use is based on a modified psycho-educational attention control treatment for alcoholism. The sessions will help patients to better understand the resources available during a suicidal crisis and how substance use impacts in their life. However, topics related to identifying thoughts and behaviors associated with suicidal crises and possible coping mechanisms will not be a part of the formal content of these SPC sessions.
|
Behavioral: Supportive Psycho-education (SPC)
This active control condition consists of 8, one-hour individual therapy sessions delivered over the course of 3-4 weeks with a trained therapist. The sessions will provide detailed information about substance use, suicide risk, and depression to those enrolled. |
- Change in frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts [ Time Frame: Change over study time period [Baseline, 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months] ]This will be measured using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSS-RS) and a modified version of the Time Line Follow-Back (TLFB).

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Must be a United States Military Veteran
- Report current suicidal ideation
- Enrolled in outpatient substance abuse treatment within the past month
- Must live within 75 miles of treatment site at time of recruitment
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to give informed, voluntary, written consent
- Inability to speak and understand English
- Receipt of methadone treatment for substance use currently or within the past 6 months
- Evidence of active, severe psychotic symptoms
- Women who are currently pregnant

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02439762
United States, Colorado | |
Colorado Springs, Colorado Community-Based Outpatient Clinic | |
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, 80907 | |
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System | |
Denver, Colorado, United States, 80220 | |
United States, Michigan | |
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System | |
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48105 |
Responsible Party: | Mark A. Ilgen, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02439762 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
W81XWH 14-1-0005 Log Number 11224006 ( Other Grant/Funding Number: US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command ) |
First Posted: | May 12, 2015 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | July 7, 2021 |
Last Verified: | July 2021 |
Veterans Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
Substance-Related Disorders Suicide Suicidal Ideation Self-Injurious Behavior |
Behavioral Symptoms Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders |