Self-Injury Treatment and Recovery in Veterans (STRIVe)

VA Office of Research and Development

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Self-Injurious Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors; Other: Treatment As Usual

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT05969080

1745432 (Other Identifier)

D4803-W

Details and patient eligibility

About

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the intentional destruction of one's own body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes that are not socially sanctioned. While NSSI has been understudied among Veterans, the lifetime prevalence rate of NSSI in Veterans is approximately three times higher than the general population. Moreover, NSSI is associated with increased risk for violence, psychiatric distress, and marked impairment in psychosocial functioning. Even though NSSI is distinct from suicidal behaviors in several important ways, NSSI remains a strong predictor of a future suicide attempt. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the treatment and acceptability of a brief intervention for NSSI that aims to reduce psychosocial impairment and NSSI behaviors in Veterans.

Full description

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to the intentional destruction of one's own body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes that are not socially sanctioned. While NSSI has been understudied among Veterans, the lifetime prevalence rate of NSSI in Veterans is approximately three times higher than the general population. Moreover, NSSI is associated with increased risk for violence, psychiatric distress, and marked impairment in psychosocial functioning. Even though NSSI is distinct from suicidal behaviors in several important ways, NSSI remains a strong predictor of a future suicide attempt. The primary goal of this project is to evaluate the treatment and acceptability of a brief intervention for NSSI that aims to reduce psychosocial impairment and NSSI behaviors in Veterans. This treatment, known as the Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) incorporates evidence-based approaches to replace NSSI with behaviors that improve psychoso ial functioning. A core component of T-SIB is functional assessment that identifies the antecedents and consequences of NSSI. This project will enhance T-SIB by using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to conduct NSSI functional assessment in-vivo. EMA reduces retrospective recall bias and can increase engagement with therapeutic goals.

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years of age or older
• Past service in the United States military
• Nonsuicidal self-injury engagement on 2 occasions in past 30 days
• Fluent in English
• Able to provide voluntary informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Lifetime history of psychosis, mania, or hypomania
• Imminent risk for suicide/homicide warranting immediate intervention
• Unable/unwilling to complete study procedures

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

T-SIB

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized to the Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB) condition will receive nine sessions of T-SIB.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors

Treatment As Usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants randomized to the TAU condition will be provided with referrals to both Durham VA and local community mental health resources and offered a consult for Durham VA mental health services.

Treatment:

Other: Treatment As Usual