Treatment
of Adolescent Suicide AttempteRS (TASA)
PROTOCOL
Study
Rationale:
Approximately
2 million U.S. adolescents attempt suicide annually, resulting in almost
700,000 emergency room visits per year. Accordingly, given the prominent
contribution of suicidal behavior to American adolescents’ morbidity
and mortality, the management of suicidal behavior is an issue of major
public health importance .
Only a few studies of adolescent suicidal behavior
have been conducted. Most studies of depression in adolescents exclude
participants who are suicidal or who have had a recent suicide attempt.
The TASA study was designed to develop and evaluate treatments for depressed
adolescent suicide attempters to prevent reattempts. The study is funded
by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Study Design:
A total of 120
depressed adolescent suicide attempters (aged 12-18) from across the country
will participate in this treatment study. The primary goal of the
study is to test the feasibility of three different treatments for depressed
teenagers who have recently attempted suicide. The three treatments are:
1) An algorithmically-driven medication treatment strategy (MM), 2) Cognitive-behavior
therapy adapted to treat adolescent suicide attempters (CBT), and 3) The
combination of these two treatments (MM+CBT). Adolescents will be
treated for 6 months and assessed after one year. All of the testing,
evaluations and treatment will be provided free of charge.
Principal Investigator: Laurence
L. Greenhill, M.D.
Diagnostic Group: Current
unipolar depression with a
recent suicide attempt or
interrupted
attempt
within 45 days of signing the
consent form.
Age Range Eligible: 12
through 18 years
Gender Eligible:
Males/Females
Language Requirements: Adolescents
must speak English.
Parents must speak English
or Spanish.
Recruitment End Date: June,
2006
Contact Person & Information:
Laurence L. Greenhill, M.D. 212 - 543 - 5340
Lisa Capasso, B.A.
212 - 543
- 6039
OPPORTUNITIES
