Suicide Intervention for Alaska Native Youth

NCT05360888 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: YY46Q97AEZA8
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 302
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Two interventions will be delivered virtually to American Indian/Alaska Native youth who have been hospitalized with suicidal attempt, suicidal ideation, or associated risk behaviors, including alcohol-related injury.

Conditions

Alaska Native Youth Aged 14 - 24; Suicide, Attempted; Suicidal Ideation; Alcohol Intoxication

Keywords

Alaska Native youth, suicide, prevention, culture

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (15)

• Suicide intent/risk

  We will use the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS) \[0 = Never, 10 = Always\]

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Suicide intent/risk

  We will use the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS) \[0 = Never, 10 = Always\]

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Suicide intent/risk

  We will use the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS) \[0 = Never, 10 = Always\]

  Change from baseline to 12 months

• Depression

  Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Depression

  Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Depression

  Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 12 months

• Anxiety

  Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Anxiety

  Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Anxiety

  Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) \[0 -not at all to 3-nearly every day\]

  Change from baseline to 12 months

• Frequency of alcohol use

  Number of days used in the past 30 days. \[ 0 to 30\]

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Frequency of alcohol use

  Number of days used in the past 30 days \[ 0 to 30\]

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Frequency of alcohol use

  Number of days used in the past 30 days \[ 0 to 30\]

  Change from baseline to 12 months

• Alcohol use consequences

  Number of times in the past 3 months youth experience 4 different alcohol consequences \[0 = Never to 6 = 20 or more times\]

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Alcohol use consequences

  Number of times in the past 3 months youth experience 4 different alcohol consequences \[0 = Never to 6 = 20 or more times\]

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Alcohol use consequences

  Number of times in the past 3 months youth experience 4 different alcohol consequences \[0 = Never to 6 = 20 or more times\]

  Change from baseline to 12 months

Secondary Outcomes (30)

• Sobriety self-efficacy

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Sobriety self-efficacy

  Change from baseline to 6 months

• Sobriety self-efficacy

  Change from baseline to 12 months

• Intentions to be sober from alcohol

  Change from baseline to 3 months

• Intentions to be sober from alcohol

  Change from baseline to 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Tools for Life

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

All youth will receive the Tools for Life (Qungasvik) intervention. Tools for Life is an evidence-based, community-developed intervention focused on providing protective cultural experiences for Alaska Native youth to address suicide risk and alcohol use.

Behavioral: Tools for Life

Tools for Life + Motivational Interviewing Social Network intervention (MISN)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Half of the youth will will also receive MISN in addition to the Tools for Life intervention. MISN is an evidence-based treatment that augments motivational interviewing with personal social network composition and structure visualization as a means to cultivating healthy social networks and cultural worlds.

Behavioral: Tools for Life + MISN

Interventions

Tools for Life BEHAVIORAL

Tools for Life focuses on empowering youth to learn more about their culture and their identity.

Tools for Life

Tools for Life + MISN BEHAVIORAL

Tools for Life focuses on empowering youth to learn more about their culture and their identity. MISN focuses on helping youth get support from their community and social networks.

Tools for Life + Motivational Interviewing Social Network intervention (MISN)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 24 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Self-identify as Alaska Native youth
• Between the ages of 14 and 24
• Admitted to the hospital for suicide attempt, ideation, or associated risk behaviors including alcohol-related injury or acute intoxication

Sponsors & Collaborators

• RAND: lead
• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation

Bethel, Alaska, 99559, United States

Location

Tanana Chiefs Conference

Fairbanks, Alaska, 99559, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Rasmus S, D'Amico EJ, Allen J, Nation C, John S, Joseph V, Rodriguez A, Alvarado G, Gittens AD, Palimaru AI, Brown RA, Kennedy DP, Woodward MJ, Parker J, McDonald K. A protocol for a randomized controlled comparative effectiveness trial of two brief interventions focused on social and cultural connectedness to reduce risk for suicide and substance misuse in young Alaska Native people. BMC Public Health. 2025 Oct 15;25(1):3503. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24710-z.

  PMID: 41094443 DERIVED

• Rasmus S, D'Amico EJ, Allen J, Nation C, John S, Joseph V, Rodriguez A, Alvarado G, Gittens AD, Palimaru AI, Brown RA, Kennedy DP, Woodward MJ, Parker J, McDonald K. Because We Love You (BeWeL): A protocol for a randomized controlled trial of two brief interventions focused on social and cultural connectedness to reduce risk for suicide and substance misuse in young Alaska Native people. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2024 Jan 22:rs.3.rs-3874293. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3874293/v1.

  PMID: 38343833 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide, Attempted; Suicidal Ideation; Alcoholic Intoxication; Suicide

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to Tools for Life, and the other half will receive Tools for Life plus a Motivational Interviewing Social Network intervention (MISN) and two booster sessions approximately 2 and 6 weeks post-intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 29, 2022
• First Posted: May 4, 2022
• Study Start: December 22, 2022
• Primary Completion: January 31, 2026
• Study Completion: January 31, 2026
• Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (2)