Helping African American teens cope with stress to prevent suicide

Preventing Suicide in African American Adolescents

NIH-funded research De Paul University · NIH-10875281

This study is testing a supportive program to help 9th grade African American students in urban areas cope with stress and reduce the risk of suicide, by training social workers to guide them through activities that build resilience and positive coping skills.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDe Paul University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chicago, United States)
Project IDNIH-10875281 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on a culturally-adapted intervention aimed at preventing suicide among low-resourced, urban African American 9th grade students. It involves training social workers from Rush University to deliver a program called the Adolescent Coping with Stress Course (A-CWS), which has shown promise in reducing suicide risk and anxiety while enhancing coping skills. The program is designed to address the unique challenges faced by these adolescents, fostering positive coping strategies and emotional resilience. Participants will engage in activities that promote adaptive coping and address interpersonal and socio-ecological factors related to mental health.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are African American adolescents in 9th grade who are from low-resourced urban backgrounds.

Not a fit: Patients who are not in the 9th grade or do not identify as African American may not receive benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce suicide rates and improve mental health outcomes for African American adolescents.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success with culturally-adapted interventions for mental health in similar populations, indicating a promising approach.

Where this research is happening

Chicago, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Centers for Disease Control
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.