TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of a web-based self-help program for suicidal thinking in an australian community sample
T2 - Randomized controlled trial
AU - Van Spijker, Bregje A.J.
AU - Werner-Seidler, Aliza
AU - Batterham, Philip J.
AU - Mackinnon, Andrew
AU - Calear, Alison L.
AU - Gosling, John A.
AU - Reynolds, Julia
AU - Kerkhof, Ad J.F.M.
AU - Solomon, Daniela
AU - Shand, Fiona
AU - Christensen, Helen
PY - 2018/2/14
Y1 - 2018/2/14
N2 - Background: Treatment for suicidality can be delivered online, but evidence for its effectiveness is needed. Objective: The goal of our study was to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention for suicidal thinking compared to an attention-matched control program. Methods: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted with assessment at postintervention, 6, and, 12 months. Through media and community advertizing, 418 suicidal adults were recruited to an online portal and were delivered the intervention program (Living with Deadly Thoughts) or a control program (Living Well). The primary outcome was severity of suicidal thinking, assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Results: Intention-to-treat analyses showed significant reductions in the severity of suicidal thinking at postintervention, 6, and 12 months. However, no overall group differences were found. Conclusions: Living with Deadly Thoughts was of no greater effectiveness than the control group. Further investigation into the conditions under which this program may be beneficial is now needed. Limitations of this trial include it being underpowered given the effect size ultimately observed, a high attrition rate, and the inability of determining suicide deaths or of verifying self-reported suicide attempts.
AB - Background: Treatment for suicidality can be delivered online, but evidence for its effectiveness is needed. Objective: The goal of our study was to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention for suicidal thinking compared to an attention-matched control program. Methods: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted with assessment at postintervention, 6, and, 12 months. Through media and community advertizing, 418 suicidal adults were recruited to an online portal and were delivered the intervention program (Living with Deadly Thoughts) or a control program (Living Well). The primary outcome was severity of suicidal thinking, assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Results: Intention-to-treat analyses showed significant reductions in the severity of suicidal thinking at postintervention, 6, and 12 months. However, no overall group differences were found. Conclusions: Living with Deadly Thoughts was of no greater effectiveness than the control group. Further investigation into the conditions under which this program may be beneficial is now needed. Limitations of this trial include it being underpowered given the effect size ultimately observed, a high attrition rate, and the inability of determining suicide deaths or of verifying self-reported suicide attempts.
KW - Psychosocial interventions
KW - Randomized controlled trial
KW - Suicide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042076038&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042076038&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2196/jmir.8595
DO - 10.2196/jmir.8595
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042076038
VL - 20
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Journal of Medical Internet Research
JF - Journal of Medical Internet Research
SN - 1438-8871
IS - 2
ER -
