Why older adults may not tell others about suicidal thoughts and how they seek help
Social Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Disclosure and Help Seeking Behavior in Late-Life Suicide
This project aims to understand how social thinking and misunderstandings affect whether older adults share suicidal thoughts and reach out for help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11224060 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed over time and asked about your social experiences, feelings, and any thoughts of suicide. The team measures social thinking and biases using questionnaires, a paired interaction task that looks at behavior and facial expressions, and language analysis of conversations. These measures are combined with self-report and clinical information to see how social perception shapes help-seeking. The goal is to map the social processes that make it harder for some older adults to disclose suicidal thoughts so better supports can be developed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults at risk for suicide—such as those with current or recent suicidal thoughts, past attempts, or significant loneliness—who are willing to complete interviews and social interaction tasks are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Younger people, those without suicidal thoughts or risk factors, or anyone unwilling to participate in interviews or social tasks are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to help older adults tell others about suicidal thoughts and get timely support.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked social cognitive problems to loneliness and suicidal thoughts, but past efforts to increase informal help-seeking in older adults have largely been ineffective, so this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Depp, Colin a. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Depp, Colin a.
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.