Positive Psychology in Suicidal Patients (POPS)

University Hospital Center (CHU)

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Suicidal Crisis; Suicidal Thoughts

Treatments: Behavioral: Positive Psychology; Behavioral: Placebo (food journal)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02855736

UF 9557

2015-A00358-41 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Suicide is a major health concern. Weeks following psychiatric admission are a highly suicide risk period for those having current suicidal ideation or attempt. Recently, a pilot study suggested the feasibility of positive psychology in patients in suicidal crisis. Notably, gratitude exercises suggested improvement in optimism and hopelessness, two dimensions associated to suicide. Moreover, gratitude has been associated to suicidal ideation and attempt, independently from depression. Thus, investigators want to conduct the first randomized controlled study in order to assess effectiveness of gratitude exercises (vs control task) in suicidal inpatients, on 1) psychological pain reduction 2) suicidal ideation, hopelessness, optimism, depressive symptomatology, and anxiety improvement.

Full description

Study design: monocentric randomized controlled study

Methods:

206 inpatients (Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Post Acute Care), between 18 and 65 years-old, having attempted suicide before hospitalisation or having current active suicidal ideation at the time of the psychiatric hospitalisation. Patients suffering from schizophrenia are excluded.

Randomization into two groups: Positive Psychology (i.e., gratitude journal) (n = 103) or Control Task (i.e., food journal) (n = 103), daily exercises during 7 days (in add-on from usual treatment).

Clinical assessment: 1) at baseline (the day before the intervention beginning) (V0); 2) short daily self-assessments (immediately before and after the exercise); 3) the day following the last day of the intervention (V1).

• V0 : socio-demographic data, treatments, psychopathology, suicidal ideation,depressive and anxious symptomatology, psychological pain, optimism, hopelessness.
• Daily self-assessments: psychological pain, optimism, hopelessness
• V1 : treatments suicidal ideation,depressive and anxious symptomatology, psychological pain, optimism, hopelessness, intervention satisfaction.

Enrollment: 206 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or suicide attempt (from less than a week)
• Having signed informed consent
• Be fluent in French
• Able to understand nature, aims and methodology of the study

Exclusion criteria

• Lifetime history of schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - V (DSM-V) criteria
• Current eating disorder according to DSM-V criteria
• Patient on protective measures (guardianship or trusteeship)
• Deprived of liberty subject (judicial or administrative decision)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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206 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Positive Psychology (gratitude journal)

Treatment:

Behavioral: Positive Psychology

Control group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Alimentary list

Treatment:

Behavioral: Placebo (food journal)