Restoring social connection to prevent repeat suicide attempts with VIGILANS
Prevention of Suicidal Behavior Through the VIGILANS Protocol: the Restoration of Social Connection Hypothesis
This project will test whether responses to a virtual social stress task can reveal biological, cardiac, and emotional differences that predict which adults in VigilanS will make another suicide attempt.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Montpellier Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Montpellier) |
| Trial ID | NCT05227183 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will recruit 120 adults enrolled in the VigilanS program who previously attempted suicide and split them into two groups of 60 based on whether they had a repeat attempt during the six-month VigilanS monitoring. All participants will complete a virtual Trier Social Stress Test (V-TSST) while investigators measure cortisol, alpha-amylase, inflammatory markers, and heart rate variability, and collect self-reports of social support and loneliness. The study will also test social cognition performance and relate these measures to suicidal recurrence during monitoring and over an additional six-month follow-up. The protocol is multicentric, involves minimal risk, and uses standardized biological and psychophysiological measurements to compare the two groups.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18–55 who are enrolled in the VigilanS program at CHU Montpellier or Nîmes, speak French, can consent, and have a documented prior suicide attempt are eligible.
Not a fit: People outside the 18–55 age range, not enrolled in VigilanS, unable to complete the virtual stress task, or who do not speak French are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could help identify people at high risk of repeat suicide attempts so clinicians can offer earlier, targeted social-support interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked social stress responses, inflammation, and suicide risk and has used TSST-type tasks, but using a virtual TSST to predict suicide relapse within VigilanS is a relatively novel application.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
For all subjects: * Patients benefiting from VigilanS monitoring at CHU Montpellier / Nîmes * aged between 18 and 55 years old; * able to understand experimental procedures * able to speak, read and understand French * able to give written informed consent Specific inclusion criteria: TS+: Had an actual suicide according to C-SSRS suicidal recurrence during the 6 months prior to VigilanS TS-: Had not suffered a suicidal recurrence during the 6 months prior to VigilanS
Where this trial is running
Montpellier
- Maude SENEQUE — Montpellier, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Philippe Courtet, PhD
- Email: p-courtet@chu-montpellier.fr
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.