Developing Text-based Support for Parents of Adolescents After an Emergency Department Visit

Developing Text-based Support for Parents of Suicidal Adolescents After Emergency Department Visits: A Multi-component Intervention Pilot

The researchers seek to develop a text message intervention for caregivers of adolescents at elevated suicide risk following discharge from emergency department (ED) care.

Participants in the trial included 120 youth-parent dyads (120 youths and 120 parents). As the ultimate focus of the intervention is on improving youth outcomes, participant-related descriptives are provided for youth participants, except where noted specifically to be parent-related data.

Parent eligibility:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parent of eligible teen

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not owning a cell phone with text messaging capability.

Teen eligibility:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recent suicidal ideation (within last 2 weeks) and/or suicide attempt within the last month.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Youth with severe cognitive impairment or altered mental status (e.g., psychosis, manic state)
• Youth with severe aggression/agitation
• No availability of a legal guardian