BRAVA: Building Resilience and Attachment in Vulnerable Adolescents

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Status: Completed

Conditions: Suicidal Ideation; Suicide and Self-harm

Treatments: Other: Group Intervention; Behavioral: Enhanced Treatment as Usual

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04751968

1922_SI_Group

Details and patient eligibility

About

The prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) among adolescents in North America is high, making it critical to develop evidence-based brief interventions for adolescents with SI that target healthy coping skills and relationships. BRAVA is a novel brief group intervention for adolescents with mild to moderate SI and their caregivers; youth are taught skills for coping and relating more effectively with others. Caregivers learn about adolescent development, effective parenting and the importance of connection. The goal of the randomized controlled trial is to assess the efficacy of a virtually-delivered, brief group intervention for adolescents with mild to moderate SI and their caregivers in reducing SI.

Enrollment: 99 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 13 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adolescents 13 years old to 17.5 years old
• Mild to moderate suicidal ideation (SI without plan or gesture; 1 on the HEADS-ED) (Cappelli, et al., 2012)
• Interested in study participation
• Access to an electronic device with internet and email capabilities, and a functioning camera and microphone

Exclusion criteria

• SI with plan or gesture (2 on HEADS ED; indicated plan or gesture)
• Comorbid disorders (psychosis, schizophrenia, developmental disabilities, major substance abuse, and severe eating disorders).
• Referring clinician has identified an externalizing disorder as a primary diagnosis or primary concern (e.g. Conduct Disorder)
• Currently participating in regular psychotherapy at least one time per week
• Currently under Children's Aid Society care
• Currently in the CHEO ED on a Form 1 or Form 2, or placed on a Section 17.
• Express difficulty with reading and writing

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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99 participants in 2 patient groups

Group Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention will consist of 6 psycho-educational group sessions for caregivers and 6 psycho-educational group sessions for adolescents. Adolescent and caregiver sessions will be held separately and will focus on different issues. Adolescents are taught skills for coping and relating more effectively with others. Caregivers learn about adolescent development, effective parenting and the importance of connection. The groups consist of 6 stand-alone modules permitting rolling entry and prompt access. Youth and Caregivers will receive a weekly text message reminder of their exit assessment date/time, homework from that week's intervention group and crisis resources.

Treatment:

Other: Group Intervention

Enhanced Treatment as Usual

Other group

Description:

Youth and Caregivers will receive a weekly text message reminder of their exit assessment date/time, a mental health tip and crisis resources.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Enhanced Treatment as Usual