Peer Mentorship to Reduce Suicide Risk Following Psychiatric Hospitalization

Peer Mentorship to Reduce Suicide Risk Following Psychiatric Hospitalization

Every year in the United States about 1 million people make a suicide attempt and more than 38,000 die by suicide. The risk of suicide is highest among individuals with mental illness who have been hospitalized due to suicidal thoughts or behaviors, yet there are few interventions known to reduce suicide risk in this population. This study will develop and pilot test a peer mentorship intervention by which trained peer professionals will use their own personal experience with recovery from mental illness to instill hope and belongingness in high-risk patients and provide additional support to prevent future suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

The specific aims of the study are to: (1) develop a peer mentorship intervention to reduce suicide risk among patients psychiatrically hospitalized with suicidal ideation or following a suicide attempt; (2) Conduct a randomized controlled pilot study to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of the peer mentorship intervention in preparation for a larger efficacy trial; and (3) an exploratory aim will be to measure potential mediators and moderators of intervention effectiveness in terms of belongingness, burdensomeness, and hopelessness according to the interpersonal theory of suicide.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. are age 18 years or older
2. have medical record documentation of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt at the time of admission
3. are fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

1. substantially cognitively impaired (according to Mini-Cog)
2. unable to provide voluntary, written, informed consent for any reason (including incompetency)
3. determined by the patient's attending psychiatrist that due to the patient's psychiatric condition peer mentorship may be harmful to the patient or peer specialist (e.g., severe personality disorder, unstable paranoia)
4. already receiving or intending to receive peer mentorship (including having a sponsor from Alcoholics Anonymous) or participate in group-based peer support on a biweekly or more frequent basis
5. are receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
6. are located more than 50 miles from any of the peer specialists
7. are being discharged to a residential treatment facility