Pilot Study on Follow-Up of (Acutely) Suicidal Individuals From the Flemish Suicide Helpline

NCT07343258 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ONZ-2025-0344
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 98
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This pilot study aims to assess the acceptance, feasibility, and added value of follow-up calls at the suicide helpline, Zelfmoordlijn 1813, in Flanders (Belgium). It serves as a crucial preparatory step in the development and implementation process of the callback methodology at Zelfmoordlijn 1813.

Conditions

Suicide; Suicidal Ideation and Behavior; Crisis Intervention

Keywords

suicidal ideation; suicide-related coping; suicidal behavior; crisis line

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Experiences of callers with receiving callbacks from the Zelfmoordlijn 1813

  Qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with callers who participated in the callback trajectory. The interviews explore acceptance, feasibility, perceived added value and barriers related to the callback methodology.

  Callers will be interviewed 7-14 days after ending their callback trajectory.

• Experiences of call responders with recruiting callers for follow-up from the Zelfmoordlijn 1813

  Experiences of call responders involved in recruiting callers for the callback trajectory will be examined through focus group discussions. Data will capture perceived facilitators and challenges in the recruitment process at the end of a crisis call to Zelfmoordlijn 1813.

  Call responders will participate in focus groups within 1 month after recruitment has ended.

• Experiences of callback callers with implementing the callback methodology from the Zelfmoordlijn 1813

  Semi-structured interviews will explore how callback callers experienced delivering the callback methodology, including perceived feasibility, added value, barriers and implementation considerations.

  Callback callers will be interviewed 2-3 weeks after their final callback within the study.

Other Outcomes (2)

• Socio-demographic variables of callers

  At the moment of enrollment

• Socio-demographic variables of callers

  At the moment of enrollment

Study Arms (1)

Callers, responders and callback callers involved in callback conversations at Suicide Line 1813

EXPERIMENTAL

The main target group of this research are (acutely) suicidal individuals who contact Zelfmoordlijn 1813 by phone and consent to receive callback conversations followed by an interview to share their experiences. During the pilot study, a number of experienced call responders (i.e., trained volunteers of the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 who offer callers a callback trajectory) and callback callers (i.e., staff members of the CPZ who conduct the callback conversations) apply the callback methodology developed by the CPZ. Call responders and callback callers will also be interviewed to provide further insights into the callback methodology.

Other: Callbacks from the Zelfmoordlijn 1813

Interventions

Callbacks from the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 OTHER

Callers of Zelfmoordlijn 1813 are called back after their initial conversation, in which they themselves contacted the Zelfmoordlijn 1813. The callbacks focus on crisis management at the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 and are not intended as a form of formal support. During the callback calls, the specific needs of the caller are addressed, tailored to the callback profile assigned by a call responder based on the initial call. There are three different callback profiles for callers: (1) those for whom the crisis call immediately focuses on creating safety, with the callback calls further reinforcing this safety, (2) those for whom the focus is on crisis management, with follow-up aimed at developing and implementing a Safety Plan, and (3) those who experience barriers to discussing their suicidal thoughts, with the callback conversations being used to facilitate the step towards professional help or to make suicide discussable within their own network or existing support services.

Callers, responders and callback callers involved in callback conversations at Suicide Line 1813

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• The caller is 18 years or older.
• The caller speaks Dutch.
• The caller calls the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 for themselves due to suicidal ideation.
• The caller must benefit from callback conversations fitting one of the three callback profiles.
• The caller is not a frequent caller to the Zelfmoordlijn 1813.
• The caller can be called back directly on a personal device.
• The caller is legally competent, meaning they can oversee the potential consequences of participation, such as time investment and availability.
• At the time of recruitment, the caller is not receiving support within a care trajectory where attention is paid to their suicidality. Or the care provider is not available quickly enough (e.g., due to maternity leave) if the caller falls within the callback profile focusing on a safety conversation.

You may not qualify if:

• The caller is younger than 18 years.
• The caller does not speak Dutch.
• The caller does not call the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 for themselves.
• The caller is a frequent caller to the Zelfmoordlijn 1813.
• The call responder assesses that urgent medical help is necessary.
• The caller expresses a homocide threat during the original conversation to the Zelfmoordlijn 1813.
• The caller cannot be called back on a personal device (e.g., persons in detention).
• The caller is not legally competent to oversee the consequences of participation (e.g., under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs).
• At the time of recruitment, the caller is receiving support within a care trajectory where attention is paid to their suicidality.
• Call responders The CPZ chooses to recruit call responders who have extensive experience in answering calls at the Zelfmoordlijn 1813. Therefore, not all call responders of the Zelfmoordlijn 1813 are trained to recruit callers.
• Callback callers The staff members of the CPZ who are involved in developing and implementing the callback methodology will also participate in the research by means of an interview.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent: lead

Study Sites (1)

Flemish Centre of Expertise in Suicide Prevention, Ghent University

Ghent, 9000, Belgium

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide; Suicidal Ideation; Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms

Study Officials

• Gwendolyn Portzky, PhD

  University Ghent

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Eva De Jaegere, PhD

CONTACT

+32 (0)9 332 07 75; eva.dejaegere@ugent.be

Lore Bellaert, PhD

CONTACT

lore.bellaert@ugent.be

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 26, 2025
• First Posted: January 15, 2026
• Study Start: January 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)