Suicide prevention using safety plans and cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents in Mozambique
Official title: Safety Planning and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Suicide Prevention in Mozambique: A Hybrid Effectiveness/Implementation Cluster Randomized Trial
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11478106 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Young people in Mozambican secondary schools will receive safety planning and cognitive behavioral therapy from trained non-specialists to help reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $348,597 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH134882-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11478106 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents enrolled in Mozambican secondary schools who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors or are considered at risk.
✕Less likely to help
Younger children, adults, or adolescents who require intensive or specialized psychiatric care may not receive direct benefit from this school-delivered program.
What this research studies
You would take part in school-based programs that combine a personalized safety plan with a flexible cognitive behavioral therapy designed to help manage suicidal thoughts and actions. The interventions are delivered by trained non-specialist providers in secondary schools and schools are randomly assigned to get the package or standard services. Researchers will follow students over time to track changes in suicidal ideation, behaviors, and other mental health outcomes while documenting how the program can be put into routine use. The project is adapted for the Mozambican context and focuses both on clinical benefit and on practical ways to scale the program in low-resource settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce suicidal thoughts and attempts among adolescents and provide a scalable, school-based approach for similar low-resource settings.
How similar studies have gone: Safety planning and cognitive behavioral approaches have shown benefit in other settings, but combining them and delivering them in schools in African low-resource settings is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wagenaar, Bradley — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Wagenaar, Bradley
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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INCLUSAVE: helping young adults with IDD access suicide-prevention trainings
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Technology-assisted suicide prevention for youth in Colombian school settings
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Nurse- and Peer-Led Suicide Prevention for Women in Tajikistan
A nurse- and peer-led program in Tajikistan aims to help women at risk of suicide by adding tailored, frontline support in primary care.
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Targeted online suicide prevention for Veterans
A web-based, one-session intervention for Veterans to reduce thoughts of suicide and self-harm by helping them manage distress and rigid thinking.
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.