Project Safe Guard-Trauma

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, DENVER · Mar 10, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Firearms are the most common suicide method among service members, veterans, and civilians. Secure firearm storage reduces the risk of suicide. Lethal means safety counseling (LMSC) is an effective approach to promote secure firearm storage and, therefore, decrease the risk of suicide. Suicide risk is elevated among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD affects safety perceptions and firearm storage practices. Current data indicate that the gold standard existing LMSC intervention - Project Safe Guard (PSG) - has reduced efficacy for individuals with elevated PTSD symp...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged 18+ years
• • Firearm owner
• • History of one or more victimization traumas per the Life Events Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) (LEC-5), defined as having directly experienced physical assault, sexual assault, combat, and/or captivity
• • Positive posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) screen on the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5)
• • Willing to provide physical location at time of Zoom sessions
• • Willing to keep Zoom camera on during study sessions
• • Ability to read, write, and speak English
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Currently stores all personal firearms unloaded and locked
• • Active psychosis or acute mania necessitating clinical intervention
• • Acute thoughts of self- or other-harm necessitating imminent clinical intervention (e.g., hospitalization)
• • Unable to provide informed consent