Combining Crisis Response Planning with Massed Cognitive Processing Therapy to Reduce Suicide Risk in Military Personnel and Veterans with PTSD

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to find out if adding Crisis Response Planning CRP, a brief strategy to help manage emotional crises, to massed Cognitive Processing Therapy CPT, a talk therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD, can better reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The study focuses on military personnel and veterans with PTSD or subthreshold PTSD who have experienced recent suicidal ideation or attempts. It builds on earlier findings suggesting that combining CRP with CPT may improve outcomes for those facing both PTSD symptoms and suicide risk. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving massed CPT plus CRP, and the other receiving massed CPT plus usual care suicide risk management, which involves a standard safety planning procedure. All participants will attend 10 daily CPT sessions over two consecutive weeks. The suicide risk intervention, whether CRP or usual care, is introduced during the intake session and reviewed during treatment. Optional booster sessions are also available. Throughout the study, participants will complete baseline assessments, daily therapy sessions, and ecological momentary assessment EMA surveys for four weeks. Follow-up assessments will occur at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment. Researchers will monitor PTSD symptoms using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and track suicidal thoughts and behaviors with several interviews and scales. The study aims to identify early indicators of treatment response and understand which parts of CRP are most helpful to participants. Safety and progress will be carefully observed during and after the study period.

Augmenting Massed Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to Prevent Suicide Risk Among Patients With PTSD