Peer-delivered, family-supported suicide prevention for Nepali youth
Innovations for peer-delivered and family-engaged brief interventions for youth suicide in Nepal: A pilot hybrid type 2 implementation study
This project offers short safety plans and follow-up delivered by trained peers, plus culturally guided family support, to help young people (ages 12–24) in rural Nepal stay safer when feeling suicidal.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11140442 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, local peer volunteers will help you create a brief, practical safety plan that can be kept as a personalized piece of jewelry and will provide scheduled follow-up contact. The program is co-designed with young people and community advisors and includes clear steps for safely involving trusted family members when appropriate. A local NGO (SOCHAI) and supportive supervisors will run the program in Makwanpur District using a mix of interviews, surveys, and service-delivery benchmarks to see what works. Findings will be used to refine the approach before a larger trial is launched.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Young people aged 12–24 in the targeted rural area of Makwanpur District, Nepal, who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or recent self-harm and are willing to work with peer volunteers and involve trusted family when safe.
Not a fit: People living outside the study area, those unwilling to work with peers or involve family, or individuals with severe psychiatric conditions requiring specialized inpatient care may not benefit from this pilot.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reduce suicidal thoughts and improve coping by giving youth practical safety tools, regular contact, and family support delivered by trusted local peers.
How similar studies have performed: Safety planning and contact follow-up have shown promise in South Asia, but delivering plans via youth-designed jewelry and a formal family-engagement protocol is a novel combination being piloted here.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hagaman, Ashley K — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Hagaman, Ashley K
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.