Participatory Research for Suicide Prevention in Autism

NCT06552871 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 00139671K23MH123934
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 51
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to pilot test a new educational intervention for organization members focused on suicide prevention for autistic people. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does participating in the intervention increase participants' knowledge, skills, and actions to support suicide prevention for autistic people?
• What feedback do participants have to help improve the intervention? Participants will:
• engage in a four-part virtual educational intervention
• answer questions via online survey before, after, and 3-months after the intervention
• participate in an optional interview to provide feedback

Conditions

Autism; Suicide Prevention

Keywords

educational intervention; pilot test

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Steps Toward Prevention - Autism Community Suicide Prevention: Knowledge & Capacity

  Self-report measure of knowledge, skills, and actions to support suicide prevention for autistic people. This reported data is for the Knowledge \& Capacity scale of the Steps Toward Prevention - Autism Community Suicide Prevention measure. This scale inquires about how true eight statements are for the respondent currently on a 5-point scale (Definitely not true - Definitely true). Scores are averaged across the items (1-5 possible range). Higher numbers indicate greater knowledge and capacity for suicide prevention.

  Pre-intervention, post-intervention (approximately 2 months after baseline), and 3-months after intervention

• Steps Toward Prevention - Autism Community Suicide Prevention: Actions

  Self-report measure of knowledge, skills, and actions to support suicide prevention for autistic people. This reported data is for the Actions scale of the Steps Toward Prevention - Autism Community Suicide Prevention measure. This inquires about how often the respondent has done twelve types of actions in the past month on a 5-point scale (Never - More than once a week). Scores are averaged across the items (1-5 possible range). Higher numbers indicate greater engagement in actions for suicide prevention.

  Pre-intervention, post-intervention (approximately 2 months after baseline), and 3-months after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Qualitative Interview

  Post intervention (approximately 2 months after baseline)

Study Arms (1)

FLAPS intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receiving FLAPS intervention

Behavioral: Forming Love around Autistic People to Prevent Suicide

Interventions

Forming Love around Autistic People to Prevent Suicide BEHAVIORAL

Four-part virtual educational intervention

Also known as: FLAPS

FLAPS intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Active member of an organization whose work impacts autistic people
• Age 18+
• Fluent English language to participate in virtual educational intervention

You may not qualify if:

• No access to an internet-connected device
• Unable to participate in a virtual educational intervention

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Utah: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Kirby AV, Bakian AV, Zhang Y, Bilder DA, Keeshin BR, Coon H. A 20-year study of suicide death in a statewide autism population. Autism Res. 2019 Apr;12(4):658-666. doi: 10.1002/aur.2076. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

  PMID: 30663277 BACKGROUND

• Wexler L, McEachern D, DiFulvio G, Smith C, Graham LF, Dombrowski K. Creating a Community of Practice to Prevent Suicide Through Multiple Channels: Describing the Theoretical Foundations and Structured Learning of PC CARES. Int Q Community Health Educ. 2016;36(2):115-22. doi: 10.1177/0272684X16630886. Epub 2016 Feb 15.

  PMID: 26880738 BACKGROUND

• Wexler L, Rataj S, Ivanich J, Plavin J, Mullany A, Moto R, Kirk T, Goldwater E, Johnson R, Dombrowski K. Community mobilization for rural suicide prevention: Process, learning and behavioral outcomes from Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide (PC CARES) in Northwest Alaska. Soc Sci Med. 2019 Jul;232:398-407. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.05.028. Epub 2019 May 23.

  PMID: 31151026 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autistic Disorder; Suicide Prevention

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Limitations and Caveats

We did not measure the long-term effects of the intervention on autistic people and their suicide risk.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Anne Kirby, Principal Investigator
• Organization: University of Utah

anne.kirby@hsc.utah.edu

8015814248

Study Officials

• Anne V Kirby, PhD

  University of Utah

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: Initial pre-post pilot test

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 7, 2024
• First Posted: August 14, 2024
• Study Start: September 5, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 5, 2025
• Study Completion: August 5, 2025
• Last Updated: January 26, 2026
• Results First Posted: January 26, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)