Reduction In Suicidal Ideation Research Articles

Association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal ideation among Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia: the mediating role of insomnia.

Childhood maltreatment is a well-established transdiagnostic risk factor for suicidal ideation; however, previous studies on their association in schizophrenia have produced highly varied results. Moreover, the mechanism linking childhood maltreatment and suicide ideation remains unclear in schizophrenia. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between childhood maltreatment and suicide ideation in people with schizophrenia and tested whether insomnia mediated this relationship. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form and Beck Suicidal Ideation Inventory were employed. Logistic regression and mediation analysis were performed. (a) The prevalence of suicide ideation, insomnia, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse and physical neglect was 10% (n = 61), 18% (n = 111), 11% (n = 68), 25% (n = 153), 6.3% (n = 39), 17% (n = 106) and 39% (n = 239), respectively. In all, 52% (n = 320) reported childhood maltreatment; (b) patients with suicide ideation demonstrated higher insomnia and childhood maltreatment. PANSS depression factor, ISI, lifetime suicidal attempts and emotional abuse were independently associated with suicide ideation; (c) insomnia partially mediated the effects of emotional abuse and emotional neglect on suicide ideation, and insomnia completely mediated the effects of physical neglect and physical abuse on suicide ideation. Our study calls for formal assessments for childhood maltreatment and insomnia in schizophrenia, which might help identify suicide ideation early. In addition, interventions targeting insomnia might help reduce suicide ideation among people with schizophrenia who experience childhood maltreatment.

The Veterans Crisis Line: Relations among immediate call outcomes and treatment contact and utilization following the call.

Crisis line callers experience reductions in distress and suicidal ideation and utilize more health care following calls. The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in distress and suicidal ideation during a call are associated with later healthcare contact and utilization. Veterans Crisis Line calls from 599 veterans were extracted with call dates between 12/1/2018 and 11/30/2019. Calls were coded for changes in distress and suicidal ideation and linked with VA medical records to obtain healthcare data. Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling was used to examine the associations of changes in distress and suicidal ideation with healthcare contact (yes/no) and utilization (days of treatment) in the month (30 days) following the call. Reductions in distress were associated with behavioral (i.e., mental and substance use) healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 4.52, p = 0.03, and reductions in suicidal ideation were associated with any healthcare utilization, F(1, 596) = 6.45, p = 0.01. Changes in distress and suicidal ideation were not associated with healthcare contact. Responders need to help resolve distress and suicidal ideation and link callers with treatment. Unresolved distress and suicidal thoughts may signify later problems with treatment utilization. Research is needed to determine causality.

Changing trends of suicidal ideation, and impact of social trust and social communication during transition from quarantine to non-quarantine in the COVID-19 epidemic in China

BackgroundIn order to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19, many countries have implemented lockdown or quarantine requirements, but little is known about how this impacts suicide ideation. The purpose of this study is to examine changing trends of suicidal ideation, social trust, and social communication from the quarantine to non-quarantine period during the COVID-19 epidemic in China and the effects of quarantine on suicidal ideation. MethodsA prospective longitudinal observation design was utilized. There were six waves of interviews from the quarantine to the non-quarantine period. Two hundred and twenty-one participants completed all observation points and were included in the study. For the continuing variables, the Mann–Kendall test was used to assess changing trends across the six observation points. For categorical variables, the Cochran-Armitage test was used to examine their changing trends. A generalized estimating equation was used to examine the association between several independent variables and suicide ideation. ResultsThe prevalence of suicide ideation was 16.7, 14.5 %, and 14.5 %, respectively, in the quarantine period, and 13.8, 10.9 %, and 10.0 %, respectively in the non-quarantine period, which there was a significant downward trend (T: −4.06, p < 0.01) across the total observation period. Negative behavioral belief, negative social trust, and low levels of social communications were positively associated with suicide ideation, with a β of 0.0310 (P < 0.01), 0.0541 (P < 0.01), and 0.0245 (P < 0.05) respectively. The positive attitude toward lockdown was negatively associated with suicide ideation, with a β of −0.0137 (P < 0.01) among guaranteed classmates and it was −0.0121 (P < 0.01) among unguaranteed classmates. ConclusionsThis study yielded new information and may have important policy implications to design effective intervention strategies to reduce future new infectious diseases while maintaining positive mental health and reducing suicide ideation.

Emotional regulation and suicidal ideation-Mediating roles of perceived social support and avoidant coping.

Recent research has uncovered a wide prevalence variation of suicidal ideation in university students ranging from 9.7% to 58.3%. India has witnessed a 4.5% increase in suicide rates in the year 2021. The interplay between cognitive reappraisal of a stressful situation, suppression of emotional expression, and coping strategies for suicidal ideation of Indian University students is yet to be explored. We aim to determine whether suicidal ideation would differ across different types of family units, and to predict the extent to which perceived social support and avoidant coping could mediate the relation between emotion regulation processes and suicidal ideation. Two hundred randomly selected University students (Mean age = 19.9, SD = 1.43) participated. Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and GLM mediation model were computed. Lifetime suicidal ideation significantly differed between those who stay alone and those who live in a nuclear family (p < 0.01), and also those who stay in a joint family (p < 0.05). Cognitive reappraisal predicted a reduction in suicidal ideation mediated by perceived social support (B = -0.06, p < 0.05) and avoidant coping (B = -0.07, p < 0.05). Whereas, expressive suppression predicted induced levels of suicidal ideation through perceived social support (B = 0.05, p < 0.05), and avoidant coping (B = 0.06, p < 0.05) as mediators. Though our sample size restricts the generalization, our findings implied the importance of regular psychological consultation regarding the efficacy of the said coping processes in dealing with suicidal ideation.

Association of handgrip strength with suicidal ideation among adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries.

This study aimed to investigate the association between handgrip strength and suicidal ideation in representative samples of adults aged ≥50 years from six LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa). Cross-sectional, community-based data from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Aging and Adult Health were analyzed. Handgrip strength quintiles by sex were created based on the average value of two handgrip measurements of the dominant hand. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation was collected. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess associations. Data on 34,129 individuals were analyzed [mean (SD) age 62.4 (16.0) years; age range 50-114 years; 52.1% females]. After adjustment for potential confounders, in the overall sample, compared to the handgrip strength quintile with the highest values [Quintile 1 (Q1)], Q2, Q3, Q4, and Q5 were associated with significant 2.15 (95% CI = 1.05-4.39), 2.78 (95% CI = 1.06-7.32), 3.53 (95% CI = 1.68-7.42), and 6.79 (95% CI = 2.80-16.48) times higher odds for suicidal ideation. Lower handgrip strength was significantly and dose-dependently associated with higher odds for suicidal ideation in adults aged ≥50 years from LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms, and whether increasing general muscular strength and physical function may lead to reduction in suicidal ideation.

Suicide prevention for substance using youth experiencing homelessness: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile research on substance using youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) is increasing, there is a dearth of information regarding effective prevention interventions for these youth. Suicide is the leading cause of death among YEH and most youth do not access services that may be available to them. Therefore, this study seeks to address this gap in the research literature with the goal to identify an effective suicide prevention intervention that can be readily adopted by communities that serve these youth.MethodsThree hundred (N = 300) YEH with recent substance use and suicidal ideation or a recent suicide attempt will be recruited from the streets as well as a drop-in center serving YEH. After the baseline assessment, all youth will be randomly assigned to Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CTSP) + Services as Usual (SAU) (N = 150) or to SAU alone (N = 150). SAU includes outreach, advocacy, and service linkage whereas YEH who receive CTSP will also receive ten CTSP sessions and an optional nine booster sessions. Follow-up assessments will be conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-baseline. Theoretically derived mediators (e.g., cognitive distortions) will be tested to shed light on mechanisms associated with change, and the moderating effects of sex, race, sexual orientation, and baseline service connection will be examined. In order to ease future dissemination of the intervention to agencies serving YEH, we will rigorously assess acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and cost associated with the delivery of our intervention approach using a mixed-methods approach.DiscussionThis study adds to a very small number of clinical trials seeking to prevent lethal suicide among a very high-risk group by addressing suicidal ideation directly rather than underlying conditions. It is hypothesized that youth receiving CTSP + SAU will show greater reductions in suicidal ideation (primary outcome), substance use, and depressive symptoms (secondary outcomes) over time compared to SAU alone, as well as improved risk and protective factors.Trial registrationNCT05994612. Date of Registration: August 16, 2023.

Female Patients Show a Larger Reduction in Suicidal Ideation in Inpatient Addiction Treatment Than Male Patients: Results of a Single-Center Observational Study.

Substance use disorders (SUD) are prevalent disorders worldwide. Among other associated health problems, patients with SUD are at an increased risk of dying of suicide, with females displaying an even higher risk than males. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a gender-sensitive evaluation of changes in suicidal ideation during multimodal inpatient treatment at a hospital facility specialized in treating addiction. A total of 694 patients (68.2% male) completed routine assessment including suicidal ideation, abstinence confidence, impulsivity, emotion regulation, self-efficacy and autonomy and joy both before (T1) and at the end (T2) of treatment. Mean changes were evaluated with repeated measures MANOVAs. Before treatment, a total of n=127 (18.3%) of the respondents reported suicidal ideation, which was reduced to n=72 (10.4%) by the end of treatment. Among female patients, the change in reported suicidal ideation compared from T1 to T2 (21.7% vs 7.7%) was significantly higher than among male patients (T1: 16.7%%, T2: 11.6%; p=0.040). Generally, females reported worse symptoms scores and slightly higher numbers of suicidal thoughts at baseline (effect sizes ranging from η²=.008 - 0.044). While both genders significantly profited from the treatment, female patients generally showed larger improvements than male. Our study underscores the beneficial effect of addiction-specialized inpatient treatment on suicidal ideation. Additionally, we found a substantial gender effect: while female patients generally were more distressed before treatment, they also reported higher symptom reduction during the treatment. This result highlights the need to perform more gender-sensitive research and develop more gender-sensitive treatment programs.

Assessment of suicidality in trials of psychological interventions for depression: a meta-analysis

Psychological interventions that are efficacious as treatments for depression could indirectly affect suicide-related outcomes. We examined suicidal thoughts and behaviours as eligibility criteria, outcomes, and adverse events across trials of psychotherapy for depression. We used a publicly available meta-analytic database developed through systematic searches (updated as of May 1, 2023) to identify randomised controlled trials in which a psychological intervention for depression was compared with an inactive or non-specific control condition in adults with depression and in which any suicide-related outcomes were reported. We also identified studies in which suicide risk was an exclusion criterion. We excluded inpatient studies and trials of unguided digital interventions or collaborative care that included a psychological component. Pairs of reviewers worked independently to select studies and extract data. In a random-effects meta-analysis with robust variance estimation, we assessed the effect of the psychological intervention on suicide outcomes in trials in which suicide was explicitly assessed as an outcome with clinical scales with established psychometric properties. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (version 2). Of the 469 randomised trials we identified in which a psychological intervention was compared with an inactive control in people with depression, 251 excluded people judged at risk of suicide. Any assessment of suicide was included in only 45 trials, 12 of which assessed suicidal ideation or risk as an outcome. These 12 trials included 3930 participants, 2795 (71%) of whom were female and 1135 (29%) of whom were male; data for age and ethnicity were not consistently reported. Psychological interventions for depression were associated with a small reduction in suicidal ideation and risk in 11 trials (one trial reported only follow-up data) after the intervention (standardised mean difference -0·31 [95% CI -0·60 to -0·03]) but not at follow-up (-0·49 [-1·31 to 0·32]). Suicide-related adverse events were reported in 25 trials, and suicide-related serious adverse events (eg, suicide attempts, deaths by suicide) were reported in 13 trials. Heterogeneity was substantial across all analyses, and prediction intervals crossed zero. Trials of psychological interventions for depression rarely report assessments of suicide. Psychological interventions might reduce suicidal ideation in patients with depression, but more randomised controlled trials are required to clarify this effect. Monitoring and reporting of suicide-related adverse events should be improved in trials of psychological interventions for depression, and future trials should incorporate outcomes related to suicidal thoughts or behaviours. None. For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Back to the Future: Is GnRHa Treatment in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents Only an Extended Evaluation Phase?

The role of body modifications induced by gonadal suppression in transgender and gender diverse adolescents on psychological functioning has not yet been evaluated. The main aim of the present study was to explore several hormone, physical and psychological functioning changes during gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) treatment in transgender and gender diverse adolescents (TGDAs). The potential relationship between the physical and hormone effects of GnRHa and psychological well-being, along with its magnitude, was assessed for the first time. This prospective multidisciplinary study included 36 TGDA (22 assigned female at birth, and 14 assigned male at birth) who received psychological assessment followed by triptorelin prescription after referring to the Florence Gender Clinic. This study consisted of 3 time points: first referral (T0), psychological assessment (T1); and treatment with intramuscular injections of triptorelin for 3 up to 12 months (T2). Psychometric questionnaires were administered at each time point, and clinical and biochemical evaluations were performed at T1 and T2. The following results were found: (1) GnRHa showed efficacy in inhibiting puberty progression in TGDAs; (2) an increase in psychopathology was observed before starting GnRHa (T1) compared with baseline levels; (3) during GnRHa treatment (T2), a significant improvement in psychological functioning, as well as decrease in suicidality, body uneasiness, depression, and anxiety levels were observed; (4) hormone and physical changes (in terms of gonadotropin and sex steroid levels, height and body mass index percentiles, waist-hip ratio, and acne severity) observed during triptorelin treatment significantly correlated with a reduction in suicidal ideation, anxiety, and body image concerns. Psychological improvement in TGDA on GnRHa seems to be related to the objective body changes induced by a GnRHa. Therefore, the rationale for treatment with a GnRHa may not only be considered an extension of the evaluation phase, but also the start of a medical (even if reversible) gender-affirming path, especially in TGDAs whose puberty has already progressed.

People with mental health problems attending primary care settings report less suicidal ideation following physical activity counselling: Findings from a low income country

BackgroundWith over 75 % of all suicides occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the burden on health care systems and societies is highest in this part of the world. Since psychotropic medication is seldomly available in primary care settings in LMICs, non-pharmacological interventions to reduce suicidal ideation are essential. Physical activity has the potential to reduce suicidal ideation, but the current evidence is inconsistent and mainly derived from studies in high-income countries. In this secondary analysis of 3 pre-test/post-test studies without a control group studies, we aim to explore whether being physically active is associated with reductions in suicidal ideation in people with mental health problems in rural areas in Uganda. MethodsFrom 682 primary care patients, 151 were eligible and included in 8-weeks once weekly physical activity counselling of which 61 (50♀; age = 44.1 ± 13.7 years; body mass index = 21.6 ± 3.6) reported suicidal ideation at baseline and were included in this secondary analysis. Suicidal ideation was assessed with item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), physical activity levels with the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ). Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used. ResultsSuicidal ideation (PHQ-9 item 9 ≥ 1) prevalence dropped from 100 % to 9.8 % post-intervention (P < 0.001). Following the intervention, significantly higher physical activity levels were observed (SIMPAQ total scored = 54.9 ± 41.4 min/day versus 287.3 ± 149.7 min/day, P < 0.001). ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that physical activity might be a promising intervention in reducing suicidal ideation in primary care patients in low-resourced settings. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these beneficial findings.

The effects of short video app-guided loving-kindness meditation on college students’ mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychological capital, and suicide ideation

ObjectiveThe study investigated the effects of a short video app guided loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on college students’ mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychological capital, and suicide ideation. The purpose of the study is to investigate the intervention effect of LKM training on suicidal ideation among college students with the help of the short video application and to provide an empirical basis for the exploration of early suicide intervention strategies for college students.MethodsWe recruited 80 college students from a university in China. The final 74 eligible participants were divided into two groups: app use group (n = 37) and the control group (n = 37). The app group accepted an 8-week app use interference, while the control group underwent no interference. We measured four major variable factors (mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychological capital, and suicide ideation) before and after the app use intervention.ResultsIn the app group, self-compassion and positive psychological capital were significantly higher, and suicide ideation was significantly lower than the control group. In the control group, there were no noticeable differences in any of the four variables between the pre-test and post-test.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that the short video app guided LKM may help to improve self-compassion, and positive psychological capital, and reduce suicide ideation. The finding of the short video app-guided LKM’s effect extends our understanding of the integrative effects of positive psychology and digital media on the reduction of suicide ideation.

Hope and Suicidal Ideation Among Older Adults Living in the Rural Mid-Hills of Nepal

ABSTRACT Objectives The current study investigated whether hope and its two components (agency and pathways) weakened the relations between perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and fearlessness about death and suicidal ideation among older adults living in rural Nepal. Methods A community sample of 300 people aged from 60 to 90 years (M age = 67.07, SD age = 6.23) who resided in the rural mid-hills of Nepal completed standardized measures. Results Hope and agency moderated the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation and pathways moderated the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation. Conclusions Hope, and particularly agency, may play a protective role in reducing suicidal ideation among older Nepali adults living in rural areas who experience perceived burdensomeness. In contrast, pathways may be an additional risk factor for older adults experiencing unmet belongingness needs. Research is required to understand fearlessness about death and suicidality among older Nepali adults. Clinical implications Increasing hope and particularly agency may be associated with a reduction in suicidal ideation among older Nepali adults who experience feelings of being a burden. However, increasing pathways may be associated with an increase in suicidal ideation among those who experience unmet belongingness needs. Research is needed to understand how to accurately assess suicide risk among Nepali older adults.

Exploring the role of mTOR signaling pathway in ketamine's therapeutic effects on suicide risk in depression: Insights into circadian dysregulation mechanisms

Depression is a common psychiatric condition with a substantial number of patients, who fail to achieve response or remission despite index antidepressant treatment. Insomnia and circadian misalignment are established and modifiable suicide risk factors. In recent years suicide rates have significantly increased. Commonly used methods (lithium, clozapine, or dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy) reduce the long-term suicide risk but are inefficient in emergencies. Ketamine is a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor novel agent with rapid-acting antidepressant and anti-suicidal properties. Yet, anti-suicidal effects are only partially mood-dependent, implying other pathways are involved in the reduction of suicidal ideation. Ketamine induces an increase in mammalian target of ramapycin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, influencing circadian dysregulation and stimulating synaptogenesis and restoring the synaptic integrity. In addition, ketamine seems to improve sleep and alter circadian clock gene expression (i.e., Bmal1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, PER3, Cry 1, Cry 2). Objective estimates in nocturnal electroencephalography show an increase in slow wave sleep, total sleep time and rapid eye movement sleep. It may be hypothesized that ketamine’s anti-suicidal properties stem from the improvement in both sleep and circadian dysregulation. Further studies should investigate the relationship between ketamine, sleep, circadian rhythms and suicidality. The aim of the paper is to put forward a hypothesis about circadian dysregulation in depression and suicidality via ketamine use in mood disorders.

Association of workplace bullying and burnout with nurses’ suicidal ideation in Bangladesh

Suicidal ideation is a complex phenomenon influenced by several predisposing, contextual, and mediating factors that seem more common among healthcare workers, especially nurses. We investigated the association of bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation among Bangladeshi nurses and identified the associated factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1264 nurses in Bangladesh between February 2021 and July 2021. We applied a modified Poisson regression model with robust error variance to determine the association of bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation. Among 1264 nurses, the female was 882 (70.02%), and the mean age was 28.41 (SD = 5.54) years. The prevalence of high levels of suicidal ideation was 13.26%. In the Poison regression model, high risk bullying (RR = 6.22, 95% CI 3.13–12.38), targeted to bullying (RR = 7.61, 95% CI 3.53–16.38), and burnout (RR = 8.95, 95% CI 2.84–28.20) were found to be significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Furthermore, we found significant interaction between workplace bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). The high prevalence of bullying, burnout, suicidal ideation, and their association indicate an unsafe workplace for the nurses. Initiatives are needed to make a favorable work environment to improve nurses' overall mental health and reduce suicide ideation.

Interventions for Adolescent Suicide Ideation and Suicide Attempts in Latin America and Spain: A Systematic Review

Purpose: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to suicide attempts, which is a major risk factor for completed suicide in this age group. However, most research on suicide prevention interventions comes from high-income countries with predominantly white participants and English protocols. This study examines interventions that have been tested in Latin America and Spain. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to include interventions aimed at reducing suicide ideation, attempts, and increasing knowledge about it in these regions. Results: Sixteen articles were selected, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Problem Solving Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy were found to be more effective than standard treatments or wait-list conditions in reducing the outcomes. Discussion: This review highlights the need for more research on preventive interventions in Latin America and Spain. While all interventions evaluated were effective, further research and replication studies are necessary to strengthen the evidence base for these interventions.

Repeated doses of subcutaneous esketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression: Case series in a general hospital in Southern Brazil

The use of esketamine appears to be a promising alternative, with rapid improvement in depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. This study aimed to describe the benefits of subcutaneous (SC) esketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression. The patients in this study were between 22 and 60 years of age, were diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, and received SC esketamine. This study highlights that repeated esketamine doses may be a promising treatment option for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Eight of the nine patients met th e criteria for response to depressive symptoms at the end of the treatment period, as evaluated using the HAMD-17 scale. In addition, a reduction in suicidal ideation was observed in patients with depression according to item 9 of the HAM-D17 and item 3 of the PHQ-9. Adverse reactions were mild and transient, with no persistent complications. Thus, SC esketamine may be a safe and beneficial alternative for the treatment of resistant depression and suicidal ideation and/or behavior. The use of the SC route is shown to be possible, mainly because of its ease of use and cost reduction in both equipment and human resources.

Reduction of Suicide Ideation by the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Individual Psychology among Undergraduate Students of University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to find out the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Individual Psychology (IP) in the reduction of suicide ideation among undergraduate students in the University of Cape Coast.&#x0D; Methodology: It was a quantitative study using the quasi-experimental research design, specifically, the pre-test, post-test and control group design. A total of 30 undergraduate students from four colleges of the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana were non- randomly assigned to two treatment groups (CBT and IP) and one control group. Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation was used for the collection of data for the study. Both the descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential (dependent samples t-test and independent samples t-test) statistics were used to analyse the data at the alpha level of .05.&#x0D; Findings: The study revealed that CBT and IP are effective in reducing suicide ideation among undergraduate students at University Cape Coast.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: It was recommended that screening for suicide ideation among students be carried out on a regular basis organised by the Counselling Centre. This is with the intention of helping to educate them and creating more awareness on suicide ideation among students thereby bringing in more people per the screening to benefit from the therapies

Relative Efficacies of Individual Psychology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the Reduction of Suicide Ideation among Undergraduate Students in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to find out the relative efficacies of Individual Psychology (IP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the reduction of suicide ideation among undergraduate students of University of Cape Coast, in the Central Region, Ghana.&#x0D; Methodology: It was a quantitative study using the quasi-experimental research design, specifically, the pre-test, post-test and control group design. A total of 30 undergraduate students from four colleges of the University were non-randomly assigned to two treatment groups (IP and CBT) and one control group. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation was used for data collection. Both the descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential (independent samples t-test) statistics were used to analyse the data at .05 alpha level.&#x0D; Findings: The results revealed that both therapies are effective in reducing suicide ideation among undergraduate students, with CBT being slightly more effective than IP.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: It was recommended that screening for suicide ideation, spearheaded by the Counselling Centre of the University, should be carried out on a regular basis among students of the University. This is with a view to achieving a drastic reduction in suicide ideation, and by implication, suicide itself

Treatment response with ketamine in chronic suicidality: An open label functional connectivity study

BackgroundKetamine has recently been proposed as a treatment option for suicidality. Whilst its mechanism of action has been explored at molecular levels, the effect on the brain at the organ level remains unclear. Here we investigate immediate post-treatment and prolonged large-scale resting-state neural network changes to elucidate the neuronal underpinnings associated with ketamine's therapeutic effects. MethodsTwenty-eight adults (aged 22–72 years) participated in the Oral Ketamine Trial On Suicidality, which is an open-label trial of weekly sub-anaesthetic doses of oral ketamine over 6 weeks. MRI was acquired at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up. Functional connectivity changes at post-treatment and follow-up were examined using seed based and independent component analysis. ResultsThe seed-based connectivity analysis revealed significantly reduced connectivity at post-treatment from the right hippocampus to both right and left superior frontal gyrus, from the left anterior parahippocampus to right superior frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, and left frontal operculum cortex. Compared with baseline, the ICA showed reduced anterior default mode network connectivities to bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, middle and anterior cingulate cortex, lingual gyrus, and cuneus and increased connectivity of the frontoparietal network to the right superior parietal lobule at post-treatment. LimitationsOpen label pilot study. ConclusionsWe have shown sub-anaesthetic doses of ketamine alters connectivity in networks which have been shown to be aberrantly hyper-connected in numerous psychiatric conditions. These neurocircuitry changes are supported by significant reductions in suicide ideation. Our results provide support for the use of ketamine as a treatment for suicidality.

Comparative effectiveness of two versions of a caring contacts intervention in healthcare providers, staff, and patients for reducing loneliness and mental distress: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCaring Contacts can effectively reduce suicide ideation, attempts, and death. In published clinical trials, Caring Contacts were sent by someone who knew the recipient. At scale, Caring Contacts programs rarely introduce the recipient and sender. It is not known whether receiving Caring Contacts from someone unknown is as effective as messages from someone the recipient has met. MethodsPragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing Caring Contacts with (CC+) versus without an introductory phone call (CC). Recruitment occurred January–July 2021, with outcomes assessed at 6 months. Participants were primary care patients or healthcare providers/staff reporting adverse mental health outcomes on a qualifying survey. Participants were sent 11 standardized caring text messages over 6 months; when participants replied, they received personalized unscripted responses. CC+ calls were semi-structured. The primary outcome was loneliness (NIH Toolkit). ResultsParticipants included 331 patients (mean [SD] age: 45.5 [16.4], 78.9 % female) and 335 healthcare providers/staff (mean [SD] age: 40.9 [11.8], 86.6 % female). There were no significant differences in loneliness at 6 months by treatment arm in either stratum. In patients, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.9 (10.7) in CC, and 60.8 (10.3) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of −1.0 (95 % CI: −3.0, 1.0); p-value = 0.31. In providers/staff, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.2 (11) in CC, and 61.3 (11.1) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of 0.2 (95 % CI: −1.8, 2.2); p-value = 0.83. LimitationsStudy population was 93 % white which may limit generalizability. ConclusionsIncluding an initial phone call added operational complexity without significantly improving the effectiveness of a Caring Contacts program.