Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention in a Brazilian Sample: a Study Protocol of a Randomized Clinical Trial
1 other identifier
interventional
150
0 countries
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Brief Summary
The vast majority of suicides occur in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), and evidence on effective psychotherapeutic interventions to prevent suicide that are culturally adapted to these contexts is limited. This scenario implies an urgent need for evidence-based suicide prevention strategies in Brazil. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of brief cognitive-behavioral therapy in preventing suicide in an outpatient setting of a Brazilian university. A randomized, controlled clinical trial with two arms, whose participants are adults who have attempted suicide or have had suicidal ideation with intent to die, will be designed. Inclusion criteria will be suicidal ideation with intent to die in the last week and/or suicide attempt in the last month. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either a weekly 12-session supportive therapy or brief cognitive-behavioral therapy. The duration of treatment will be approximately 3 months. Both groups will have weekly individual therapy. Follow-up contact will be made 1 month and 6 months after treatment. If necessary, patients are entitled to two booster sessions during the follow-up period. The outcomes to be assessed, a priori, are suicide attempts, self-harm without suicidal intent and suicidal ideation, assessed by the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI). Linear mixed models will be used to assess the outcomes of continuous variables, logistic regression models for categorical outcomes and survival analysis for the analysis of suicide attempts.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P25-P50 for phase_3
Started May 2026
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 9, 2025
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
May 8, 2026
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
May 10, 2026
ExpectedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
April 10, 2028
Study Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
July 10, 2028
May 8, 2026
April 1, 2026
1.9 years
September 9, 2025
May 4, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Suicide attempt
The primary outcome is suicide attempt.
6 months follow-up
Secondary Outcomes (3)
Suicide ideation (passive and active)
6 months follow-up
Depressive Symptoms
6 months
Anxiety Symptoms
6 months follow-up
Other Outcomes (6)
Religiosity
6 months follow-up
Purpose in Life
6 months follow-up
Subjective Happiness
6 months follow-up
- +3 more other outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Supportive Therapy
ACTIVE COMPARATORSupportive Therapy (ST) is a type of psychotherapy that heavily relies on common factors. It focuses on building a strong therapeutic alliance, providing empathy, reassurance, and encouragement, and enhancing the client's strengths and coping mechanisms (Grover et al., 2020). Unlike more structured approaches like CBT or psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy is less focused on specific techniques derived by specific theoretical approaches and more on providing emotional support and fostering a positive therapeutic relationship.
BCBT for suicide prevention
EXPERIMENTALBCBT for suicide prevention protocols are designed to help high-risk individuals to identify patient-specific factors that trigger and intensify suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as to develop effective coping strategies when dealing with stressors and problems that activate the suicidal mode (Mann et al., 2021; Bryan \& Rudd, 2018). In BCBT, in order to reach those goals, treatment is composed by three main phases, as follows: Emotional Regulation and Crisis Management, Targeting Belief Systems Related to Suicide and Relapse Prevention (Bryan \& Rudd, 2018).
Interventions
CBT for suicide prevention protocols are designed to help high-risk individuals to identify patient-specific factors that trigger and intensify suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as to develop effective coping strategies when dealing with stressors and problems that activate the suicidal mode (Mann et al., 2021; Bryan \& Rudd, 2018). In BCBT, in order to reach those goals, treatment is composed by three main phases, as follows: Emotional Regulation and Crisis Management, Targeting Belief Systems Related to Suicide and Relapse Prevention (Bryan \& Rudd, 2018).
Arm Description: Supportive Therapy (ST) is a type of psychotherapy that heavily relies on common factors. It focuses on building a strong therapeutic alliance, providing empathy, reassurance, and encouragement, and enhancing the client's strengths and coping mechanisms (Grover et al., 2020). Unlike more structured approaches like CBT or psychodynamic therapy, supportive therapy is less focused on specific techniques derived by specific theoretical approaches and more on providing emotional support and fostering a positive therapeutic relationship.
Eligibility Criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Related Publications (37)
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BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 3
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- PhD student at the Institute of Psychiatr
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 9, 2025
First Posted
May 8, 2026
Study Start (Estimated)
May 10, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
April 10, 2028
Study Completion (Estimated)
July 10, 2028
Last Updated
May 8, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-04