Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Preventing Suicide in Military Veterans

The purpose of this study is to test a psychotherapeutic intervention that integrates cognitive therapy and mindfulness meditation techniques to prevent suicide in military Veterans.

Every month the VA becomes aware of approximately 1,100 Veterans in VA care who attempt suicide. While the VA has implemented a comprehensive, multifaceted suicide prevention approach, it has yet to implement nationally any evidence-based psychotherapies targeting suicide, a gap due largely to the dearth of evidence-based therapies for suicide. Primary aims of this proposal are to conduct a randomized controlled trial testing an adaptation of a cognitive-behavioral intervention, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), for Veterans on the VA's High Risk for Suicide List. The investigators' adapted version of MBCT for suicide (MBCT-S) integrates mindfulness meditation techniques with the VA Safety Plan to enhance patients' awareness of suicide triggers and appropriate coping strategies. This study has the potential to increase the range of cost effective treatment alternatives for the large number of suicidal Veterans for whom evidence-based therapies are severely limited.

Inclusion Criteria:

The following criteria were formulated to recruit a sample at high risk for suicide behavior.

• The subject has experienced a suicidal event during the past 30 days. A suicidal event involves

  • 1) psychiatric hospitalization due to suicidal risk,
  • 2) psychiatric hospitalization if subject was already on the High Risk for Suicide List,
  • 3) suicidal ideation with suicidal intent,
  • 4) suicidal preparatory behaviors, or
  • 5) actual, interrupted, or aborted suicide attempt.

AND

• The subject is on or will be placed on the VA High Risk for Suicide List

  • OR The subject had an actual, interrupted, or aborted attempt in the last year
  • OR In the study clinician's opinion (i.e., Masters or Doctoral level study personnel with formal mental health training) in consultation with the PI, the suicidal event is significant enough to warrant treatment to reduce suicidal risk.

Exclusion Criteria:

• cognitive deficits that decrease the likelihood of benefit from MBCT-S
• severe symptoms of hallucinations or delusions
• disorganized or disruptive behaviors
• medically unstable
• current mindfulness-based psychotherapy or receipt of 2 or more sessions of a mindfulness-based psychotherapy in the last 12 months