A new national study by St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto is seeking people who experience suicidal ideation to participate in research that will evaluate the effectiveness of a remotely-delivered psychotherapy intervention in reducing suicide risk.
Brief Skills for Safer Living (Brief-SfSL) is a one-hour, single-session individual psychotherapy intervention adapted from an original SfSL group therapy program, which has been proven to reduce suicide risk. Results of this study will be vital in advancing knowledge of effective and accessible suicide risk interventions that can be offered during the pandemic.
The study will involve:
- A three-month open-label study (participants are aware of the treatment given) involving patients with suicide risk across Canada
- Participants receiving Brief-SfSL single-session psychotherapy with a licensed therapist via telehealth
- Five virtual study touchpoints with participants: screening, psychotherapy session, and follow-up visits with a research co-ordinator at one week, one month and three months
- Patient clinical assessments and self-report questionnaires to be completed online
Please note there is no ongoing clinical follow-up in this study, and participants meet with a psychotherapist only once for the intervention.
To be eligible, participants must have experienced suicidal ideation in the past week, be 18 years of age or older, have access to the internet and a computer or mobile phone with a camera, not be receiving other psychotherapy concurrently, and be able to undergo psychotherapy in English.
Participants would be excluded if they have a cognitive impairment that would limit consent or understanding of Brief-SfSL, active psychosis, or a current substance use disorder.
Interested parties may contact the study co-ordinator at therapy@asrlife.ca. Find more information at asrlife.ca/initiatives/research.