Mobile program to reduce suicidal thoughts in Veterans.
Official title: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mobile Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts
Run by VA Office of Research and Development · NCT06593379 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot will try a brief mobile program called MIST to reduce harmful suicidal beliefs and thoughts in Veterans with recent suicidal ideation.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Durham, North Carolina) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 3, 2025 |
| Main results expected | August 2, 2027 |
| Study ends | September 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06593379 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Veterans receiving care through the Durham VA Health Care System who endorsed suicidal ideation without intent in the past 30 days, meet regularly with a mental health provider, and can read at a basic level are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
People with current suicidal intent, active psychosis or mania, moderate-to-severe substance use disorder, or who have already used MIST in another study are unlikely to benefit from this pilot.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers developed a brief mobile intervention (MIST) that uses interpretation-bias modification techniques to target a "suicidal belief system" including hopelessness, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness. In a randomized pilot, 50 Veterans with recent suicidal ideation will be assigned to MIST plus treatment-as-usual and safety planning or to treatment-as-usual and safety planning alone. The trial will measure whether Veterans find MIST acceptable, are willing to use it, and whether it shows signals of changing suicide-related cognitions. The study is being conducted at the Durham VA Medical Center.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, MIST could offer a scalable, easy-to-use adjunct to standard care that helps reduce suicidal thoughts by changing harmful beliefs.
How similar studies have gone: Interpretation-bias modification approaches have shown promise for mood and anxiety problems, but applying this method specifically to suicide-related beliefs is relatively novel and not yet widely tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Veterans using the Durham VA Health Care System * Endorsing suicidal ideation without intent in the last 30 days, established via Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) * Meet at least every 4 months with a mental health provider, established via chart review chart * Can read at least 6th grade level material, established by their demonstrated ability to read the consent form and answer basic questions about it Exclusion Criteria: * Currently in a period of active psychosis or mania, established via the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) * Currently meeting criteria for a moderate or severe alcohol or substance use disorder, established via the SCID-5 * Endorsing suicidal intent, established via Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) * Exhibit current prominent suicidal or homicidal ideation requiring immediate intervention * Have used the Mobile Intervention for Suicidal Thoughts (MIST) intervention before as part of another research study
Where it's running
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Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
Durham, North Carolina, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Kirsten H Dillon, PhD — Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
- Study coordinator: Kirsten H Dillon, PhD
- Email: Kirsten.Dillon@va.gov
- Phone: (919) 286-0411
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.