Comparing different treatment approaches for preventing suicide in veterans and active duty service members
Official title: Suicide risk interventions: A comparison of treatment dose and neural markers of treatment outcome
Funded at VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11044066 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at different types of support to help active duty service members and veterans who are at risk of suicide, comparing a quick one-time therapy session with longer treatments to see which works best for different people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002583-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11044066 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include active duty service members and veterans who are at risk for suicide.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not at risk for suicide or who do not have access to the required interventions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of various psychosocial interventions aimed at reducing suicide risk among active duty service members and veterans. It compares a single-session therapy designed to assess risk factors and provide support with more intensive treatments that involve multiple outpatient sessions. By analyzing treatment outcomes and neural markers, the study aims to identify which intervention is most effective for different individuals based on their specific needs. This approach seeks to fill critical gaps in understanding how to best allocate resources for suicide prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and tailored interventions for preventing suicide among veterans and active duty service members.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that both single-session and multi-session interventions can reduce suicide attempts, but this specific comparison of treatment doses is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Boston Health Care System
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Esterman, Michael — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Esterman, Michael
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.