Culturally tailored digital suicide prevention for Colombian school youth
Harnessing culturally-appropriate, technology-assisted methods to advance suicide prevention among youth in Colombian school settings
This project uses culturally adapted digital tools and teacher training to help reduce suicidal thoughts and support mental health for school-aged youth in Colombia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11137587 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered an open-access digital platform co-designed with Colombian youth that includes self-help tools, a customizable safety plan, links to online counseling, and game-like features to make it easier to use. Teachers get a companion platform with psychoeducation, brief suicide-risk screening, and decision-support tools, plus a hybrid diploma program to build skills in supporting students. The program is delivered through participating schools and rolled out in phases using a proven implementation framework so the team can learn what works and how to keep it running. The researchers will collect information on students' mental health and suicidal thoughts to refine the tools and improve support.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are school-aged children and adolescents in participating Colombian schools and the teachers who support them, especially those experiencing anxiety, distress, or thoughts of self-harm.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled at participating schools, need immediate intensive psychiatric care, or have severe unstable mental health conditions may not benefit from the program alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce suicidal thoughts and expand access to mental health support for students in Colombian schools.
How similar studies have performed: Similar school-based and digital suicide-prevention programs have shown promise elsewhere, but this culturally tailored, teacher-integrated approach in Colombian schools is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Desrosiers, Alethea — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Desrosiers, Alethea
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 below.