Suicide Prevention by Empowering Adolescents in Pakistan (SEPAK)
SEPAK
1 other identifier
interventional
1,350
1 country
8
Brief Summary
Self-harm is now seen as an epidemic affecting young people across the world and particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as Pakistan. Young people in Pakistan often come across many troubles such as mental health and family problems, stress at school and social and economic inequalities. A youth suicide prevention programme is needed in Pakistan. Such programme will be based on secondary schools (where most young people are) and will support schools to work together with many public agencies to tackle the full range of troubles that young people face. Our main research aim is to work together with multiple stakeholders to culturally adapt and test the feasibility of three SEPAK interventions to prevent suicide among students in secondary schools in Pakistan (aged 12 to 17 years).
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Jul 2021
8 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
July 1, 2021
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 5, 2021
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 21, 2021
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
April 28, 2022
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
August 30, 2022
CompletedApril 3, 2023
March 1, 2023
10 months
July 5, 2021
March 31, 2023
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Feasibility of undertaking a trial of the intervention
recruitment rate of the trial
Change from baseline to 1-month post baseline
Therapy log
acceptability of the interventions that will be evident from the attendance of participants in each session on a therapy log
Change from baseline to 1-month post baseline
Secondary Outcomes (7)
The Global school-based student health survey (GSHS)
Change in scores from baseline to outcome (1-month post baseline)
Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory
Change in scores from baseline to outcome (1-month post baseline)
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
Change in scores from baseline to outcome (1-month post baseline)
Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI)
Change in scores from baseline to outcome (1-month post baseline)
Euro-Qol (EQ-5D-5L)
Change in scores from baseline to outcome (1-month post baseline)
- +2 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (5)
LEADS Plus educational posters
EXPERIMENTALA total of six group sessions with students using presentations and videos.
Question, Persuade, and Refer (Teachers) Plus educational posters
EXPERIMENTALIt is a manualised programme for gatekeepers (teachers). This includes both presentations and videos.
Screening by Professionals programme Plus educational posters
EXPERIMENTALThis is an indicated or selective intervention by health professionals who will review assessments (done using structured questionnaires) and refer students where necessary.
Educational poster
ACTIVE COMPARATORThe control group will be exposed to the six educational posters.
Question, Persuade, and Refer (Parents) Plus educational posters
EXPERIMENTALIt is a manualised programme for gatekeepers (parents). This includes both presentations and videos.
Interventions
This intervention covers depression and its symptoms, the link between depression and suicide, the risk and protective factors associated with suicide, the warning signs of suicide, seeking help and overcoming barriers to seeking help, and school and community suicide prevention resources. Six educational posters will also be displayed in class rooms
It is a manualised programme for gatekeepers, originally developed in the USA which to train teachers/school staff to identify the suicide risk in students and encourage students at risk of suicide to seek professional help. Six educational posters will also be displayed in classrooms.
This is an indicated or selective intervention which is based on students' responses to the baseline questionnaires. Participating health professionals review students' responses to the questionnaires used in the study and students whose scores meet pre-established cutoff points will be invited to participate in a professional mental health clinical assessment and if needed, referred to clinical services. Six educational posters will also be displayed in classrooms.
Six educational posters will be displayed in all schools in this cluster.
It is a manualised programme for gatekeepers (parents), originally developed in the USA which to train parents to support the young people at risk of suicide. Six educational posters will also be displayed in classrooms.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- age 12 - 17 years
- the school authority agrees for the student to participate;
- both parents and students willing to participate.
You may not qualify if:
- the school authority refuses for the student to participate;
- the adolescents attend a specialist and/or independent or private school;
- the parents of students in a participating school, or the students themselves, have refused to sign the consent document.
- Parents/guardians
- Parents/guardians are eligible to participate if they meet all the following criteria:
- caring for pupils aged 12-17 years;
- the school authority agrees for the school to participate;
- willing to participate in the study;
- willing for pupils they care for to participate in the baseline and post-intervention assessments.
- the school authority refuses for the school to participate;
- the pupils they care for attend a specialist and/or independent or private school;
- not willing to participate in the study or not willing for the pupils they care for to participate in the baseline and post-intervention assessments.
- the school authority agrees to participate;
- the schools shall be non-specialist public schools;
- school contains at least 80 students;
- +15 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (8)
Public schools
Quetta, Balochistan, 87300, Pakistan
Public schools
Peshawar, KPK, 25000, Pakistan
Public Schools
Lahore, Punjab Province, 42000, Pakistan
Public schools
Multan, Punjab Province, 59300, Pakistan
Public schools
Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, 43600, Pakistan
Public schools
Hyderābād, Sindh, 17000, Pakistan
Public schools
Karachi, Sindh, 74200, Pakistan
Public Schools
Nawabshah, Sindh, 67450, Pakistan
Related Publications (1)
Wasserman C, Hoven CW, Wasserman D, Carli V, Sarchiapone M, Al-Halabi S, Apter A, Balazs J, Bobes J, Cosman D, Farkas L, Feldman D, Fischer G, Graber N, Haring C, Herta DC, Iosue M, Kahn JP, Keeley H, Klug K, McCarthy J, Tubiana-Potiez A, Varnik A, Varnik P, Ziberna J, Postuvan V. Suicide prevention for youth--a mental health awareness program: lessons learned from the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) intervention study. BMC Public Health. 2012 Sep 12;12:776. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-776.
PMID: 22971152RESULT
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- FACTORIAL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 5, 2021
First Posted
July 21, 2021
Study Start
July 1, 2021
Primary Completion
April 28, 2022
Study Completion
August 30, 2022
Last Updated
April 3, 2023
Record last verified: 2023-03
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share
Only anonymized data will be shared where necessary such as for the purpose of meta-analysis