Timely Support to Reduce Suicide Risk
Micro-randomized trial to assess brief, just-in-time interventions for reducing short-term suicide risk
This project explores how quick, personalized messages on your phone can help people reduce their risk of suicide right after leaving the hospital.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11098701 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
People are at a higher risk for suicide in the weeks immediately following a psychiatric hospital stay. This project aims to make existing safety plans, which are lists of coping strategies and support, more effective by helping individuals use them when they are most needed. We will use mobile technology to send brief, personalized messages at just the right time to encourage the use of these safety plans. This approach helps us understand which parts of a safety plan are most helpful and when, for each person.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals who have recently been discharged from psychiatric hospitalization and are at risk for suicide.
Not a fit: Patients who are not at risk for suicide or have not recently been discharged from psychiatric hospitalization may not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective and personalized mobile support to prevent suicide for individuals after psychiatric hospitalization.
How similar studies have performed: While safety planning is a recommended intervention, this project uses a novel micro-randomized trial design to optimize its real-world use with mobile technology.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bentley, Kate H. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Bentley, Kate H.
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.