Safety intervention for improving functioning in suicidal attempters (STRONG): A secondary prevention study. Study rationale and research protocol.

BACKGROUND

Suicide is one of the most largely preventable causes of death worldwide. The aim of the STRONG study is to assess the effectiveness of a specific intervention (an extended Safety Planning Intervention) called iFightDepression-SURVIVE (iFD-S) in suicidal attempters by changes in psychosocial functioning. As secondary outcomes, quality of life, cognitive performance, clinical state and neuroimaging correlates will be considered.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the rationale and design of the STRONG study, an extension of the SURVIVE study, a national multicenter cohort about on prevention in suicidal attempters.

METHODS

The STRONG study is a two-year clinical trial. A total sample of 60 patients will be randomly allocated to two arms: a group will receive a iFD-S and treatment as usual (TAU) (n=30 treatment group), while another group will exclusively receive TAU (n=30 control group). There will be three study points: baseline; 3-month; and 6-month follow-up assessments, all of which will include rater-blinded evaluation of psychosocial functioning, quality of life, clinical state, cognitive performance and neuroimaging acquisition.

RESULTS

It is expected to obtain data on the efficacy of iFD-S in patients who have committed a suicide attempt.

CONCLUSION

Results will provide insight into the effectiveness of IFD-S in suicidal attempters with respect to improvements in psychosocial functioning, quality of life, cognition, and neuroimaging correlates.

CLINICAL TRIALS ID: NCT05655390.