Psychological Capital and Suicide Ideation

NCT07839117 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: BellevueUU1111-1346-5723
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 3,231
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study examined whether developing Psychological Capital (PsyCap) could help reduce suicidal thoughts among high school students in Guyana. Psychological Capital includes four positive psychological resources: hope, self-efficacy (confidence), resilience, and optimism. High school students participated in a study that included a PsyCap development intervention. Students were assigned to either a treatment group that received the intervention or a control group. Psychological Capital and suicide ideation were measured before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at a one-month follow-up. The study examined whether students who received the PsyCap intervention experienced increased Psychological Capital and decreased suicide ideation compared with students in the control group. The broader research also examined the relationship between Psychological Capital and suicide ideation using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses and included interviews with individuals in Guyana who had previously attempted suicide.

Conditions

Suicide Ideation

Keywords

Psychological Capital; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Prevention; High School Students; Guyana; PsyCap

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Lifetime Suicide Ideation

  Lifetime suicide ideation was assessed using participant survey responses. Lifetime suicide ideation was assessed using the suicide ideation subscale of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), as modified by Núñez et al. (2019). The measure consisted of six progressive Yes/No items assessing lifetime suicide ideation. Responses were used to derive a score ranging from 0 to 6. The minimum score was 0 and the maximum score was 6. Higher scores indicated greater severity of suicide ideation and therefore a worse outcome; lower scores indicated less suicide ideation and therefore a better outcome. Scores were compared between the Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention and control groups across assessment time points.

  Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up

• Change in Last Month Suicide Ideation

  Last Month Suicide Ideation was assessed using the suicide ideation subscale of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), as modified by Núñez et al. (2019). The measure consisted of six progressive Yes/No items assessing suicide ideation during the previous month. Responses were used to derive a score ranging from 0 to 6. The minimum score was 0 and the maximum score was 6. Higher scores indicated greater severity of suicide ideation and therefore a worse outcome; lower scores indicated less suicide ideation and therefore a better outcome. Scores were compared between the Psychological Capital (PsyCap) intervention and control groups across assessment time points.

  Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Life-in-General Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

  Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up

• Change in Schoolwork Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

  Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up

• Change in Relationship Psychological Capital (PsyCap)

  Pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to the intervention arm received a Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention designed to strengthen hope, efficacy (self-confidence), resilience, and optimism. Intervention activities included identifying meaningful goals, developing sub-goals, identifying available resources and potential obstacles, and generating multiple pathways for overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. Participants also engaged in small-group activities to share plans, ideas, and possible solutions. The facilitator connected the exercises to the PsyCap components throughout the intervention.

Behavioral: Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Development Intervention

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants assigned to the control arm did not receive the Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention during the study period and served as the comparison group. Participants completed the same study assessments used to measure Psychological Capital and suicide ideation at the designated assessment time points.

Interventions

Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Development Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention was designed to strengthen hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Participants engaged in activities involving identification of meaningful goals and sub-goals, identification of available resources and potential obstacles, and development of alternative pathways for overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. Participants also engaged in small-group activities to share plans, ideas, and possible solutions. The facilitator connected these activities to the four components of Psychological Capital: hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism.

Also known as: PsyCap Development Intervention

Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 11 Years - 19 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Students enrolled in participating secondary schools in Regions 2 and 6 of Guyana.
• Students aged 11 to 19 years.
• Participants who provided the required informed consent.
• For participants who were minors, parental consent was required.

You may not qualify if:

• Students who were not enrolled in a participating secondary school.
• Students who did not provide the required informed consent.
• For participants who were minors, students for whom parental consent was not provided.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bellevue University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ministry of Education Region 2 and 6

Georgetown, Guyana

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Persaud, R. (2023). Can Psychological Capital Mitigate Suicide Ideation? Doctoral dissertation, Bellevue University.

  RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation; Suicide Prevention

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Rita Persaud, PhD canadiate

  Bellevue University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Carolyn Youssef-Morgan, PhD

  Bellevue University

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: The lead investigator was masked to participant group assignment prior to the intervention. Masking ended when the intervention was initiated because the investigator delivered the intervention.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctoral Researcher

Model Details: Participants were assigned to either a treatment group that received the Psychological Capital (PsyCap) development intervention or a control group. Outcomes were assessed before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at a one-month follow-up.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2026
• First Posted: September 24, 2026
• Study Start: February 21, 2022
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2022
• Study Completion: April 1, 2022
• Last Updated: September 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2022-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GU (1)