Understanding immediate risk factors for suicide in young adults
Official title: Multimodal Assessment of Near-term Risk Processes for Suicide Ideation and Behavior
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10514606 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how young adults aged 18-25 feel and react right after experiencing social rejection or trauma, to help understand who might be more at risk for having thoughts about suicide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | January 5, 2019 |
| Project end | October 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $660,627 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH115922-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10514606 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are young adults aged 18-25 who may be experiencing feelings of social rejection or have a history of trauma.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the age range of 18-25 or those without experiences of social rejection or trauma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the immediate psychological and physiological responses of young adults aged 18-25 to experiences of social rejection and trauma, aiming to identify who may be at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. By employing a multimodal approach, the study will track changes in emotions and bodily responses over time, providing a more dynamic understanding of suicide risk. Participants will engage in intensive assessments that capture their reactions to various social and emotional stimuli, helping to pinpoint critical moments that may lead to suicidal ideation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved methods for identifying individuals at high risk for suicide, enabling timely interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding suicide risk through dynamic assessments, but this specific approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Scott, Lori N — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Scott, Lori N
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Childhood suicide risk: understanding feelings and caregiver perspectives
A multi-informant study with children aged 8-12 and their caregivers to better predict how childhood thoughts of suicide and distress develop and signal risk.
-
How loneliness and feeling cut off relate to suicidal thoughts in older adults
Researchers will follow people aged 65 and older for a year with frequent reports and behavioral measures to track how social disconnection and sensitivity to rejection relate to suicidal thoughts.
-
Understanding childhood suicide thoughts to improve risk assessment
This study is looking for ways to better understand and talk about suicidal thoughts in kids aged 8-12 by listening to both the children and their caregivers, using creative methods to capture their feelings and experiences, so we can help keep them safe and supported.
-
Understanding how social disconnection affects suicide risk in older adults.
This study is looking at how feeling lonely or rejected might affect thoughts about suicide in older adults, and it aims to understand how social connections and emotions change over time to help identify those at risk.
-
How social connections can help prevent suicide thoughts in young women who love women
This study is looking at why young women who love other women might think about suicide more than their straight friends, and it wants to find out how having strong friendships and a positive sense of self can help keep them safe, especially during big life changes like starting high school or college.
-
Understanding why some adolescents continue to have thoughts of suicide.
This study is looking at what helps or hinders young people in rural areas, aged 14 to 18, who have had thoughts about suicide, so we can better understand how to support them and prevent these feelings from sticking around.
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.