Caring Contacts Via Text Message for Suicidal Adolescents After Emergency Department Discharge

NCT07043764 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 2024-6680K23MH135206
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if Caring Contacts (brief, hopeful, supportive text messages) can be delivered to adolescents with suicidal thoughts or behaviors after discharge from the emergency department, and to understand if adolescents find it acceptable to receive Caring Contacts. Researchers will also begin to explore how suicidal thoughts and behaviors change over time among participants who receive Caring Contacts along with treatment as usual, compared to participants who only receive treatment as usual. All participants will be invited to answer survey questions when they first enroll in the study and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after their emergency department visit. Some participants will receive Caring Contacts (brief, hopeful, supportive text messages) after their emergency department visit. Some participants will be invited to complete an interview about their experiences receiving Caring Contacts.

Conditions

Suicide Prevention

Keywords

Adolescent; Text Messaging

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Self-Report Recent

  The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Self-Report Recent measures recent suicidal ideation and behavior on a scale of 0-5, with higher scores indicating greater severity.

  Baseline, 1 Month, 3 Months, 6 Months, 12 Months

Study Arms (2)

Treatment as Usual

NO INTERVENTION

Treatment as usual consists of a suicide risk assessment during the emergency department visit, determination of disposition, safety planning, provision of crisis resources, and coordination of follow-up mental health services if indicated.

Caring Contacts

EXPERIMENTAL

In addition to Treatment as Usual, participants will receive Caring Contacts, consisting of brief, hopeful, supportive text messages.

Other: Caring Contacts Text Messages

Interventions

Caring Contacts Text Messages OTHER

Caring Contacts are brief, hopeful, supportive text messages.

Caring Contacts

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• to \<18 years of age
• Present to the emergency department with suicidal thoughts or behaviors as indicated by the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ)
• Have a cell phone that can receive text messages
• Proficient in English
• Anticipated disposition of discharge from the emergency department

You may not qualify if:

• In care of the Department of Children and Family Services
• Unable to participate meaningfully in assent, assessments, or the intervention, as determined by the treating clinician, including any of the following: acute or chronic cognitive impairment, acute psychosis, current severe agitation, current alcohol or drug intoxication

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide Prevention

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Jennifer A. Hoffmann, MD, MS

  Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Jennifer A. Hoffmann, MD, MS

CONTACT

312-227-4000; jhoffmann@luriechildrens.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Model Details: Randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 20, 2025
• First Posted: June 29, 2025
• Study Start: December 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Last Updated: June 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: Data will be made available 1 year after completion of the study
• Access Criteria: Approval by NIMH Data Archive

Locations

US (1)