Brief Skills for Safer Living: one-session therapy for people with suicidal thoughts
Investigating the Efficacy of a Novel Therapy for Suicide Risk in Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intensive Single Session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"
This trial will test whether one brief, virtual Brief-SfSL session plus usual care helps adults in Canada with recent suicidal thoughts reduce suicidal thinking compared with usual care alone.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Unity Health Toronto Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Trial ID | NCT06571916 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will enroll 150 adults across Canada who have had suicidal thoughts in the past week and randomize them to receive either a single-session Brief-SfSL intervention plus treatment as usual or treatment as usual with a 3-month waitlist for Brief-SfSL. Brief-SfSL is a one-session, individually delivered psychotherapy adapted from a longer 20-week group program and is delivered virtually. Primary outcomes include changes in suicidal ideation at 3 months, with secondary measures of depression, anxiety, anhedonia, social connectedness, emotion regulation, functioning, executive control, and social problem-solving, and monitoring of adverse events. The design builds on a prior single-arm pilot of 77 adults showing feasibility and safety and compares Brief-SfSL against treatment as usual to determine efficacy.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults in Canada with suicidal ideation in the past week who can use a phone or computer with internet, can consent in English, have an emergency contact and local hospital access, and are not currently receiving another psychotherapy.
Not a fit: Patients with active psychosis, significant cognitive impairment, inability to participate in English, or those who require more intensive or ongoing psychotherapeutic care may not benefit from this single-session intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could offer a fast, widely accessible single-session therapy that reduces suicidal thoughts and improves coping for people at risk.
How similar studies have performed: A prior single-arm virtual pilot of Brief-SfSL in 77 Canadian adults showed feasibility, acceptability, safety, and signals of reduced suicidal risk, and the approach is adapted from a previously successful 20-week group program.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Suicidal ideation in the past week * Access to a computer or phone with a camera * Access to internet * Access to an emergency contact and hospital within commuting distance * Not receiving other psychotherapy/counselling services concurrently * Willing to have the session recorded to determine therapy fidelity * Any psychiatric diagnosis is allowed * Follow-up visits with a psychiatrist and/or family doctor where a psychotherapeutic modality (e.g., Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, psychodynamic therapy, etc.) is not being used are allowable Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to undergo psychotherapy in English * Presence of cognitive impairment that would limit consent and understanding of Brief Skills for Safer Living * Active psychosis * Unwilling or unable to provide informed consent * Previously enrolled in the Brief-SfSL pilot study * Unwilling or unable to communicate verbally
Where this trial is running
Toronto, Ontario
- St. Michael's Hospital — Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sakina Rizvi, PhD, MACP — Unity Health Toronto
- Study coordinator: Anna Kiriakidis, RSSW, HBASc
- Email: anna.kiriakidis@unityhealth.to
- Phone: 416-360-4000
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.