Suicidal Ideation, Suicide, Suicide Attempt
Conditions
Keywords
Black, youth, suicide, suicide prevention, intervention, Signs of Suicide, Cultural Adaptation, Chicago, African American, Adolescent
Brief summary
Suicide has been the third leading cause of death for Black youth in the U.S since the 1980s and persists as a leading cause of death for Black youth today. For example, in 2018 suicide was reported as the 2nd leading cause of death among Black Americans ages 10 to14 years old. Findings yielded from recent queries indicate that the gap in suicides among Black males and female youth has narrowed in recent years. Despite these disturbing trends, a dearth persists in our understanding of the factors that contribute to and prevent against suicide in Black youth, thus diminishing researchers' ability to effectively detect suicide risk in this particular population. This project aims to redress this gap by proposing the cultural adaptation of an existing suicide prevention intervention, the Signs of Suicide (SOS) prevention program, for Black middle school students. Our team will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial among a sample of Black middle school students to assess feasibility and examine underlying mechanisms that contribute to suicidality among Black youth. Intervention content will be adapted to assess how topics of racial identity, racial socialization, and racial discrimination uniquely impact Black youth's mental health experiences and risk for suicide. Measures of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempt will be assessed at pre-test, post-test, and 3-months after the intervention. Findings derived from this project will contribute to public health priorities by offering unique insight into the factors that either prevent or promote suicide among Black youth and could be replicated in other schools serving Black students across the nation.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBlack Youth Suicide Prevention in Chicago
The Culturally Adapted intervention uses intervention video content that specifically addresses topics that shape Black youth's psychological wellbeing and development. The goal of this intervention is to share suicide prevention information in ways that are culturally responsive and attentive to the specific needs of Black adolescents.
BEHAVIORALSigns of Suicide: Standard/Existing
Students attending schools assigned to the Standard/Existing Intervention condition will receive the Signs of Suicide curriculum.
Sponsors
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
University of Chicago
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
11 Years to 15 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade at a participating school
Exclusion criteria
* Not enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade at a participating school
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Suicidal Ideation | Baseline, 2 weeks after baseline, 3-months after baseline | Item that asks students to report if they have seriously considered suicide |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Suicide Attempt | Baseline, 2 weeks after baseline, 3-months after baseline | Item that asks students to report if they have attempted suicide. |
| Knowledge of Depression and Suicide | Baseline, 2 weeks after baseline, 3-months after baseline | This scale includes items that assess students' knowledge of depression and suicide risk and warning signs. This is the title of the scale, as used and reported in earlier suicide prevention interventions (Aseltine & DeMartino, 2004; Schilling et al., 2016). Responses are collected using a list of true/false options. The total number of true statements represents more accurate knowledge of depression and suicide risk warning signs. |
| Attitudes Towards Depression and Suicide | Baseline, 2 weeks after baseline, 3-months after baseline | This scale includes Items that assess students' attitudes towards depression and suicide. This is the title of the scale, as used and reported in earlier suicide prevention interventions (Aseltine & DeMartino, 2004; Schilling et al., 2016). The measure includes a 5-point Likert scale with responses ranging from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree. Higher scores on this scale represent more adaptive attitudes towards depression and suicide risk. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactJanelle R Goodwill, PhD
Backup ContactMiwa Yasui, PhD
Outcome results
None listed