Enhanced Brief CBT for Suicidal Inpatients With Mood Disorders

Launched by HYUNG KEUN PARK · Jul 9, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a special kind of short-term therapy called enhanced brief cognitive behavioral therapy (E-BCBT) to see if it can help reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people who are hospitalized because of a recent suicide crisis. This therapy includes five sessions during the hospital stay and comes with worksheets that patients can use on their own after leaving the hospital, which might help prevent future suicide risk. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive this therapy or the usual care provided in the psychiatric ward.

To join the study, participants must be adults who have been hospitalized after a recent suicide attempt or serious suicidal thoughts, and who have been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder. They also need to be able to read and write Korean and understand the study details to give informed consent. People currently receiving other types of psychotherapy, those with certain severe mental or physical conditions, or those expected to leave the hospital very soon are not eligible. Participants will complete five assessments over about four months—before and after treatment, plus three monthly check-ins—to track their progress through interviews and questionnaires. This study aims to find a practical way to support patients both during and after hospitalization to reduce suicide risk.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• Participants must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the study:
• • Hospitalized following a suicide crisis
• • \*A suicide crisis is defined based on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) as meeting at least one of the following: A. A suicide attempt within 1 week prior to admission B. Current suicidal ideation and plan at the time of admission (recorded as the reason for hospitalization) and at least one prior suicide attempt within the past 2 years
• • Aged 18 years or older
• • Diagnosed with a depressive disorder or bipolar and related disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) at screening
• • Able to read and write in Korean without difficulty
• • Capable of understanding the study procedures and providing written informed consent voluntarily
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Participants will be excluded if any of the following apply:
• • Has an acute manic episode with psychotic features, a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, a clinically significant neurological disorder, brain injury, intellectual disability, or any other physical illness that would interfere with participation in the study.
• • Receiving ongoing psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy) within 3 months prior to screening.
• • Expected to be discharged within 6 working days of admission, as judged by the attending physician
• • Scheduled to receive electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) during hospitalization