Using motivational interviewing to help veterans with suicidal thoughts

Motivational Interviewing to Address Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Suicidal Veterans

NIH-funded research Veterans Affairs, United States Department of · NIH-10919762

This study is looking to help veterans who have recently faced a tough time with thoughts of suicide by using a friendly conversation technique to boost their motivation to live, with a few in-person meetings and a follow-up call to support them.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVeterans Affairs, United States Department of NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Canandaigua, United States)
Project IDNIH-10919762 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on veterans who have recently experienced a suicidal crisis, aiming to enhance their mental health support through a revised motivational interviewing technique. The approach involves one to two in-person sessions followed by a telephone booster session to help veterans resolve their ambivalence about living. By increasing their motivation to live, the study seeks to complement existing suicide prevention strategies already in place. The effectiveness of this method will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are veterans who have recently undergone a suicidal crisis or psychiatric hospitalization.

Not a fit: Patients who are not veterans or those who have not experienced recent suicidal crises may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the number of suicide attempts among veterans experiencing suicidal ideation.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise with motivational interviewing techniques in mental health settings, indicating potential for success in this novel application.

Where this research is happening

Canandaigua, 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.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 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.