GRANTS

Suicide Prevention Research Grants

Much of what is known about suicide comes from studies that AFSP has funded. Our studies open up new areas of inquiry, and our council of scientific advisers helps set the national research agenda.

In addition to addressing the research priorities identified by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, our 2020 Grants cover one or more of the following six content categories:

Neurobiological How do brain structure and neurochemical function contribute to suicide?
Psychosocial What are the risk factors and warning signs for suicide?
Genetic What genetic pathways are associated with suicide risk, and can we develop biological interventions and treatments?
Treatment What treatments — like therapies and medications — are effective at reducing suicide?
Community What universal prevention programs — like hotlines, gatekeeper training, and community-based programs — are the most effective?

Focus Grants

Focus Grants are targeted, novel and potentially high-impact studies focusing on designated areas of study. This year, AFSP has funded one new Blue Sky Focus Grant.

Blue Sky Focus Grants are those which are open to all fields, supporting innovative and potentially impactful novel areas of suicide prevention research that are beyond the scope of our Innovation Grants.

Madhukar Trivedi, M.D.

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Characterizing Inflammatory Profiles and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents

$1,495,939
Grant Type: Blue Sky Focus Grant
Research Area: N

Despite increasing suicide rates among adolescents, approaches are available to prevent re-attempts. Understanding the biological factors that play a role is key in preventing suicide among youth. Evidence suggests that inflammation and immune system dysfunction may be linked to suicide. This study seeks to better characterize the immune profiles of adolescents with suicidal behavior. The goal is to inform the development of tools for suicide prevention among adolescents.

Innovation Grants

Through the funding of Innovation Grants, AFSP supports pioneering work that will increase our understanding of suicide with an array of promising new areas of research.

Brian D’Onofrio, Ph.D.

Indiana University

Risks and Benefits of ADHD Medication for Suicidal Behavior: A National Study of At-Risk Youth

$124,984
Grant Type: Distinguished Investigator Grant
Research Area: P, T

Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for suicide and more youth with ADHD are being treated with medication. Medicaid healthcare claim data will be used to explore the benefits and/or risks of ADHD medication for suicidal behavior. Findings can inform medical practice for youth at high risk of suicidal behavior, especially for those with psychiatric conditions, in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, in rural communities, and in foster care.

Briana Mezuk, Ph.D.

University of Michigan

Suicide Risk during Employment and Housing Transitions in Mid- and Late-Life

$124,880
Grant Type: Distinguished Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Major life transitions in employment and housing may be related to suicidal behavior among middle-aged and older adults. Applying machine learning/artificial intelligence statistical tools to data from the National Violent Death Reporting System and the Health and Retirement Study can lead to a better understanding of how the contexts and characteristics in which people live and work relate to suicide risk. The findings can be used to inform policy and practices for preventing suicide during life transitions.

Barbara Stanley, Ph.D.

Columbia University

Enhancing the Role of Peer Specialists in Suicide Prevention

$125,000
Grant Type: Distinguished Investigator Grant
Research Area: T

The Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) is an evidence-based intervention shown to prevent suicidal crises. Typically, clinicians and individuals work together to develop a safety plan. This is a first step towards incorporating peer-specialists in suicide prevention interventions. Specialized training will be provided to peer-specialists, and researchers will assess their comfort and/or distress in delivering SPI and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of peer-led SPI.

Fabrice Jollant, M.D., Ph.D.

University of Paris (France)

Gerd Wagner, Ph.D.

Jena University Hospital (Germany)

The Choice of a Violent Suicidal Means: A MRI Study with Computational Modeling of Decision-Making

$299,980
Grant Type: Linked Standard Research Grant
Research Area: N

People who attempt suicide using a violent means are at very high risk for future suicide death. Individuals who have attempted suicide using a violent means may show particular brain and cognition characteristics — notably more risky decision-making and lesser cognitive control — that may contribute to increased suicide risk. Using brain imaging and advanced statistical analyses, these neurocognitive factors will be explored. Findings can inform treatments focused on improving cognitive function to prevent suicide.

Margaret Sugg, Ph.D.

Appalachian State University

Exploring Place-Based Differences in Adolescent Suicide, Mental Health, and Suicide Mechanism

$99,990
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P

There are geographic differences in suicide rates, with higher rates found in rural areas than urban areas. Efforts will focus on identifying social, environmental, and economic risk factors for adolescent suicide at the individual and community level for specific locations. This may lead to better understanding of rural-urban disparities in suicide rates.

Ewa Czyz, Ph.D.

University of Michigan

Advancing Short-Term Prediction of Suicidal Behavior Among High-Risk Youth: Real-Time Monitoring of Suicide Risk After Psychiatric Emergency Department Visits

$99,808
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P

Mobile phones and wearable physiological monitoring devices (wearable sensors) will be used to improve the prediction of short-term suicide risk among youth ages 18 to 24 who have recently been discharged from a psychiatric emergency department. Feasibility and initial predictive utility data for a multi-modal assessment model combining mobile phone and wearable sensor technology with real-time ecological momentary assessment will be obtained. Findings will be used to develop accessible methods for identifying early warning signs of suicide risk that can inform personalized interventions.

Shu-Sen Chang, M.D., Ph.D.

National Taiwan University (Taiwan)

Suicide by Paraquat Poisoning in Taiwan and Potential Prevention Strategies

$99,921
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: C

Pesticide ingestion accounts for one-fifth of global suicides. Paraquat, a weed killer that is highly lethal when ingested and accounts for about 200 suicide deaths each year in Taiwan, was banned in February 2020. By studying the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of such a ban on reducing suicide, lessons can be learned to inform strategies for reducing pesticide suicide, as well as suicide by other highly lethal means.

Mark Sinyor, M.D., FRCPC.

University of Toronto/Sunnybrook Research
Institute (Canada)

Impact of a National Media Engagement Strategy in Canada on Suicide-related Media Reporting, Social Media Content and Suicide Rates

$99,993
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: C,P

Media reporting about suicide can have an impact on suicide rates. Stories emphasizing death and hopelessness can lead to more suicides while stories of resilience and hope can have a positive effect. The impact of a comprehensive media engagement strategy initiated in Canada in 2015 on traditional and social media reporting will be evaluated. Understanding the impact of the media strategy and of different story narratives on suicide rates can inform future reporting.

Patrick Quinn, Ph.D.

Indiana University

A Population-based, Genetically Informed Study of the Effects of Chronic Pain on Suicidal Behavior

$98,794
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P

Chronic pain is common and increases an individual’s risk for suicide. However, it is not yet known whether suicide risk is similar among all chronic pain conditions or whether the different factors influence suicidal ideation and chronic pain. By comparing suicidal behavior between twins who differ in their pain but share genes, families, and many other social characteristics, the study aims to identify potential contributors to increased suicide risk among individuals with chronic pain.

Jennifer Funderburk, Ph.D.

Central New York Research Corporation

Adjunctive Team Enhanced Intervention to Improve Suicide Prevention Evidence-Based Practices in Primary Care

$99,870
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: C

About one-third of individuals who die by suicide visit a primary care provider within the month before their death. While evidenced-based recommendations for preventing suicide through primary care exist, successful implementation of guidelines for clinical practice often depends on primary care team members working together. Demonstrating the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an educational intervention called Team Education for Adopting Changes in Healthcare (TEACH) may lead to improvements in evidence-based suicide prevention in primary care.

Oscar Jimenez-Solomon, MPH

Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene/New York State Psychiatric Institute

From Hardship to Hope: A Peer-led Intervention to Reduce Financial Hardship & Suicide Risk

$99,998
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: T, P

While there is never one single cause for suicide, financial hardship has been documented as a significant contributor. An intervention which focuses on empowering participants to manage their finances in order to decrease suicidal ideation and behaviors will be delivered by individuals with lived experience. It will be determined if it is appropriate and usable for individuals experiencing financial hardship. If effective, this intervention would provide a new strategy for fostering hope and reducing participants’ risk for suicide.

Delesha Carpenter, Ph.D., MSPH

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Developing and Evaluating a Scalable Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Program for Community Pharmacy Staff

$100,000
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: C

Although many community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have interacted with people who exhibit suicide warning signs, less than 10% say they have the necessary training or resources to support patients who are at risk for suicide. A brief suicide prevention training program for pharmacy staff (SAVE-Pharm) will be developed and then tested to evaluate whether staff who complete SAVE-Pharm are more likely to discuss suicide prevention with at-risk patients.

Sabrina Darrow, Ph.D.

University of California, San Francisco

Gathering Stakeholder Perspectives and Modeling Emotion Regulation to Predict Youth Suicidal Behavior

$100,000
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P, T

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment to decrease suicidal behaviors. During DBT, patients complete daily diary cards to track behaviors and emotions related to their treatment goals. This information will be combined with medical records and treatment outcome evaluations to determine predictors of youth suicidal behaviors. By gathering input from providers and individuals with lived experience, models that are useful for treatment planning, keeping youth safe, and preventing suicide can be identified.

Yossi Levi-Belz, Ph.D.

Ruppin Academic Center
(Israel)

Suicidal Ideation and Behavior Following Moral Injury Among Combat Veterans: Toward an Empirically Based Integrative Model

$99,970
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P

Morally injurious events — events that violate an individual’s moral beliefs — can have long-term harmful effects on combat veterans, a group at high risk for suicide. The study focuses on identifying psychological risk and resilience factors for morally injurious events and understanding the psychological mechanisms that link moral injuries with suicidal ideation and behavior among Israeli combat veterans. Findings may lead to more effective screening, as well as suicide prevention and intervention programs tailored to at-risk veterans.

Anthony Ruocco, Ph.D.

University of Toronto
(Canada)

A Neurocomputational Approach to Discriminate Between Suicide Ideators and Attempters

$100,000
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: N, P

Many people think about suicide, but only a fraction attempt it. A critical step toward understanding what leads someone from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt may emerge from the development of a “risk algorithm,” or risk calculator. The study combines clinical, behavioral, and brain-based risk factors that are distinctively related to suicide attempt to develop such a risk calculator. Ultimately, a risk algorithm may help clinicians to evaluate individual risk during an office visit and inform intervention plans.

Craig Stockmeier, Ph.D.

University of Mississippi
Medical Center

Epigenetic Risk Factors for Suicide in Comorbid Depression and Alcoholism

$100,000
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: G

When an individual suffers from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depressive disorder (DEP) at the same time, they experience a worse course of illness and higher risk for suicide than either disorder alone. Individuals who die by suicide with concurrent AUD plus DEP may also experience greater changes in their brain (orbitofrontal cortex) and this is what this study investigates. Understanding these changes may improve the treatment and prevention of suicide among those with AUD and DEP.

Timothy Schmutte, Psy.D.

Yale University

Mentor: Steven Marcus, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania

Hospital Management of Suicidal Older Adults and Subsequent Mortality in Medicare and Medicare Advantage Enrollees

$88,548
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: P, T

Older adults are the fastest growing age group seeking emergency care for suicidal ideation and have the highest suicide rate following hospital management of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, we lack information about the quality of mental health care and differences in suicide mortality among older adults enrolled in Medicare. The investigators will combine healthcare data from national Medicare claims with interviews of older adults and clinicians. The goal is to improve quality of care and post-discharge support for suicidal older adults.

Gregory Armstrong, Ph.D.

University of Melbourne
(Australia)

Determining the Effects of Protective Suicide Content in the Print Media in India

$98,758
Grant Type: Standard Research Grant
Research Area: C, P

Suicide rates are high in India and media reporting on suicide is often unsafe. This study aims to improve media content about suicide by focusing on stories from individuals with lived experience of a suicide crisis, and implementing the World Health Organization guidelines for suicide prevention messaging in print, in India. Findings can inform the development of media-based approaches to writing about suicide.

Claudia Persico, Ph.D.

Mentor: Dave Marcotte, Ph.D.
American University

Air Quality and Suicide

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Air pollution has been demonstrated to affect health, including increases in depressive symptoms, and social factors. This study will be the first to examine the relationship between air pollution and suicide. Data from death certificates in the United States will be used to estimate the impact of days with high air pollution on suicide rates compared to other days in the same month, year, and county with lower air pollution. Findings could inform suicide prevention resources and policy efforts in order to reduce the rate of suicide.

Matthew Goldman, M.D.

San Francisco Department of Public Health

Mentor: Brian Ahmedani, Ph.D.
Henry Ford Health System

Mobile Crisis for Suicidal Youth

$89,965
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Though mobile crisis teams play a key role in suicide prevention, little is known about best practices for mobile crisis suicide prevention activities. A large crisis services clinical database will be analyzed to determine which demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with referral to different levels of care among youth under age 18 with suicidal symptoms who have utilized a crisis call center or mobile crisis team. This information will advance suicide prevention in crisis services.

Ashley Hagaman, Ph.D., MPH

Yale University

Mentor: Lakshmi Vijayakumar, DPM, Ph.D.
Voluntary Health Services Hospital (India)

Integrating Suicide Prevention Packages into Task-Shifted Mental Health Interventions in Low-Resourced Contexts

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: T, C

Although three-quarters of suicide deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, effective strategies for early identification and prevention of suicide in low-resource, culturally diverse settings are lacking. Development of a package of evidence-based suicide prevention practices which can be integrated into the health system in rural Nepal is urgently needed and will be developed and may ultimately be adapted to be utilized in diverse and disadvantaged settings around the world.

Matthew Klein, M.D., Ph.D.

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Mentor: Murray Stein, M.D., MPH
University of California, San Diego

Identifying EEG-Biomarkers of Target Engagement by Intramuscular Ketamine in the Treatment of Acute Suicidality

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: T, N

Ketamine is increasingly used as a rapid antidepressant, and there is growing evidence that ketamine may have additional anti-suicidal properties distinct from its effects on depression. Patterns of electrical activity in the brain will be studied to determine intramuscular ketamine’s effectiveness in treating acute suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This work seeks to inform an understanding of the mechanism of ketamine’s effects on suicidal ideation and identify whether treatment responses can be predicted from brain activity.

Leslie Adams, Ph.D., MPH

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health

Mentor: Sean Joe, Ph.D.
Washington University at St. Louis

Real-Time Assessments of Suicidality Among Black Men: A Mixed Methods Approach

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Black men are experiencing increasing rates of suicide in recent years, signaling an emerging public health crisis. Little is known about how racial discrimination functions as a potentially important risk factor for suicide in this population. By integrating digital health strategies, such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using smartphones, to assess individuals’ experiences in social environments, including instances of racial discrimination, the goal is greater understanding of experiences that increase Black men’s risk for suicide.

Gabrielle Campbell, Ph.D.

University of New South Wales (Australia)

Mentor: Brian Draper, M.D.
Prince of Wales Hospital (Australia)

Opioid Use in People with Chronic Pain and Associations with Suicidal Behaviours and Suicide: A Population-Based Data Linkage Cohort Study

$89,959
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

In the last two decades, there has been a substantial increase in the prescription of pharmaceutical opioids, particularly for chronic non-cancer pain. One of the most recent concerning trends has been the increasing association between increased opioid prescribing and suicide. In this study, new machine learning/artificial intelligence techniques will be used to study a population of patients with chronic pain who were prescribed opioids. Findings may shed light on the relationship between opioid deaths and suicide.

Lisa Fedina, Ph.D., MSW

Mentor: Cheryl King, Ph.D.
University of Michigan

Profiles of Poly-Victimization and Suicide Risk among Young Adults

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Experiences with violence and trauma are often contributors to suicidal behavior in young adults. However, a better understanding of the types of trauma young adults experience, how such experiences contribute to overall suicide risk, and to what extent these patterns vary across youths’ demographic identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation, is needed. A national survey with a diverse sample of young adults ages 18 to 24 will be examined to identify protective factors for suicide that promote resilience among young adults, particularly those most at-risk.

Carly McMorris, Ph.D.

University of Calgary (Canada)

Mentor: David Klonsky, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia (Canada)

Suicidality in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Interaction Between Biological Vulnerabilities and Cognitive Dysfunction

$89,357
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P, N

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but the contributors are not well known. The biological response to a stressful situation and its interaction with cognitive (thought) processes will be studied to gain insight into potential biological and psychosocial risk factors for suicide among youth with ASD.

Elizabeth Karras, Ph.D.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Mentor: Robert Bossarte, Ph.D.
West Virginia University

Public Messaging Strategies to Facilitate Help Seeking Among Those at High Risk for Both Suicide and Opioid Overdose

$89,951
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: C

The risk for suicide is often higher among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Veterans treated by the Veterans Health Administration are one high-risk group for both suicide and opioid use. To determine what public messaging strategies are effective at encouraging people at risk for both suicide and opioid overdose to disclose distress and seek out mental health treatment, VA patients will be interviewed and asked how they think and feel about different types of suicide prevention messages.

Pierre-Eric Lutz, M.D., Ph.D.

Institute of Cellular and Integrative
Neurosciences (France)

Mentor: Gustavo Turecki,M.D., Ph.D., McGill
University (Canada)

Epigenetic Plasticity in Suicidal Behaviors and the Vulnerability to Social Stress

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: G, N

Biological responses to social interactions inform the mechanisms through which negative social experiences increase an individual’s risk for suicide. Epigenetics, which are molecular processes that control the functioning of genes in response to life experiences, are proposed to play a role in the biological mechanisms which contribute to suicidal behaviors. This investigation of changes in genetic functioning in the brain and blood, and their relationship with stress, shows promise for providing greater understanding of suicide risk.

Elizabeth Thompson, Ph.D.

Mentor: Shirley Yen, Ph.D.
Rhode Island Hospital

A Qualitative Study of Psychosis and Suicidality to Inform Safety Planning for High-Risk Teens

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P, T

Youth with early psychosis (e.g. having unusual thoughts or sensory experiences) have a markedly elevated risk for suicide. In-depth interviews will be used to explore how psychosis experiences influence suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teens hospitalized for safety concerns. This information will then be used to develop a safety plan tailored to the needs of teens experiencing psychosis and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Feedback from teens, parents, and clinicians will inform safety planning guidelines for future use.

Lindsay Sheehan, Ph.D.

Illinois Institute of Technology

Mentor: Julie Cerel, Ph.D.
University of Kentucky

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Strategic Disclosure Intervention for Suicide Attempt Survivors

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: T

The disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors can lead to increased support and opportunities for self-reflection, which are important for preventing suicide. However, those who talk about their suicidal thoughts and behaviors sometimes face negative responses from the people they tell. The 2Share Program, which offers a peer-led intervention focusing on disclosure among those who survived a suicide attempt, will be studied. Improvements in social outcomes and disclosure behaviors, as well as reductions in suicidal thoughts and behaviors, depression, and stigma are the studied outcomes.

Arielle Sheftall, Ph.D.

Mentor: Jeffrey Bridge, Ph.D.
The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at
Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Suicidal Behavior in Elementary School-Aged Youth: Assessment of Familial Factors and Neurocognitive Functioning

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Research suggests that suicide risk factors differ between younger children who die by suicide compared to older youth. This study will examine neurocognitive (brain) functioning and factors associated with family behaviors and relationships in children ages 6 to 11 years, with and without a history of suicidal behavior. An understanding of the risk factors for suicidal behavior in childhood can be used to inform relevant child-specific suicide prevention and intervention programs.

Abigail Ross, Ph.D., MSW, MPH

Mentor: Dana Alonzo, Ph.D., MSW
Fordham University

The Family Based Crisis Intervention: Adaptation for Inpatient Psychiatric Settings

$89,975
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: T

Family bonds and connection (adhesion and cohesion) and the resulting support and sense of connection or attachment can serve as protective factors against suicide when experienced by youth at risk for suicide. The investigators will adapt and then implement a brief evidence-based intervention for suicidal adolescents and their families, the Family-Based Crisis Intervention (FBCI). This intervention will be provided on inpatient psychiatric units with the aim of reducing suicidal behavior and rehospitalization rates in the six months following discharge, particularly in comparison to treatment as usual. If effective, hospitals will be able to improve care delivery to adolescents at risk for suicide and their families.

Vera Vine, Ph.D.

Mentor: Stephanie Stepp, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Investigating an Interoceptive Model of Adolescent Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors

$89,998
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: N, P

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among U.S. adolescents and has been associated with difficulties in self-perception and understanding, or emotional self-awareness. In the human body, the heart constantly communicates information to the brain which is critical for emotional health and awareness. Interviews, reports of daily experiences, and neurophysiological (brain-body) techniques, including recording the brain’s responses to heartbeats, will be collected and integrated to investigate the role of miscommunication between the heart and brain in adolescents’ suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Ryoko Susukida, Ph.D.

Mentor: Holly Wilcox, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University

Sociodemographic Factors, Clinical Profiles and Social Determinants of Suicides Involving Opioids

$90,000
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

A better understanding is needed of the social, demographic, and clinical factors which characterize people who died by suicide with opioids involved. This study will use statistical methods to identify characteristics specific to individuals and to neighborhoods. The contributions of age, sex, and race will be examined using mortality data and medical records from Maryland. Findings could help to inform our understanding of suicide deaths that involve opioids.

Lindsay Taliaferro Ph.D., MPH

University of Central Florida

Mentor: Jennifer Muehlenkamp, Ph.D.,
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Positive Identity and Interpersonal Supports as Protective Factors Against Suicide Ideation for Young Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Young Adults

$90,000
Grant Type:Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: P

Transgender or gender nonbinary young adults are more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempts than their peers. Stress encountered because of sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e., minority stress) is thought to play a role. This study will investigate protective factors which may help mitigate the impact of minority stress on transgender and gender nonbinary individuals in relation to suicidal ideation. Identifying protective factors is key for suicide prevention.

Milenna van Dijk, Ph.D.

Mentor: Myrna Weissman, Ph.D., MSW, New
York State Psychiatric Institute

Frontal-Limbic Abnormalities and Early Life Stress in Susceptibility and Resilience to Suicide

$89,996
Grant Type: Young Investigator Grant
Research Area: N, P

Some individuals with a family history of suicide die by suicide while others do not. Researchers will use brain imaging and childhood adversity data to investigate the neurobiological and environmental factors which influence whether individuals with a family history of suicide experience suicidal ideation or attempt suicide (i.e. susceptibility) or do not (i.e. resilience). The goal is to identify characteristics specific to susceptibility and resilience among individuals with high familial risk for suicide.

Ali Bani-Fatemi, Ph.D.

Mentor: Ariel Graff, M.D., Ph.D.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Canada)

Imaging of the Suicidal Brain in Schizophrenia

$112,000
Grant Type: Postdoctoral Fellowship
Research Area: N

Brain imaging is a non-invasive way to directly estimate the brain’s structure and functioning. Analyzing brain structure in patients with schizophrenia at either very high risk or very low risk for suicide can provide information to understand suicide risk better. Identifying biological features and mechanisms that influence suicidal ideation and behavior in people with schizophrenia is critical for saving lives of those affected with schizophrenia.

Hannah Lawrence, Ph.D.

Mentor: Richard Liu, Ph.D.
McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Understanding Suicide Risk in Adolescents: The Unique Role of Imagery

$112,000
Grant Type: Postdoctoral Fellowship
Research Area: P

Whereas suicidal mental imagery is potentially a powerful predictor of suicidal behavior, the ability to form positive mental imagery may be a protective factor. Examining mental imagery in adolescents is critical, especially since these abilities peak at this age. This study examines suicidal mental imagery as a risk factor that could be assessed to improve clinical decision-making and the development of interventions that use positive mental imagery to prevent suicide.

Juliet Edgcomb, M.D., Ph.D.

University of California, Los Angeles

Electronic Health Record Phenotyping for Cohort Discovery of New-onset Suicidality in Youth

$30,000
Grant Type: Pilot Research Grant
Research Area: P

Electronic health records convey information that is used for the provision of health care services. It is also an excellent source of information from which to learn about the different ways that children and adolescents with suicidal thoughts and behaviors may present to an emergency department. There are many pathways to suicide risk, and machine learning/artificial intelligence will be used to identify different groups of youth at risk for suicide seeking services at emergency departments.

Skye Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.

York University (Canada)

Development and Initial Testing of a Couple-Based Intervention to Optimize Suicide and Self-Injury Treatment: COMPASS (Connecting, Overcoming, and Moving Past Suicide and Self-Injury)

$30,000
Grant Type: Pilot Research Grant
Research Area: T

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are often influenced by difficulties in emotion regulation and problems regarding intimate relationships. While current interventions for suicidal ideation and behaviors typically focus on emotion dysregulation, it is important to also address intimate relationship issues. The COMPASS (Connecting, Overcoming, and Moving Past Suicide and Self-Injury) intervention, the approach to be tested, is a new treatment for couples for whom suicidal ideation and behaviors are present and can be a focus for change.

Matteo Malgaroli, Ph.D.

New York University School of Medicine

Computational Markers of Suicidal Ideation from Loss Narrative Recordings: A Proof of Concept Study

$30,000
Grant Type: Pilot Research Grant
Research Area: P

The loss of a spouse is among life’s most painful experiences, associated with significant distress, grief, and elevated risk for suicide. To improve assessment of potential suicide risk factors following loss, machine learning/artificial intelligence methods will be used to examine indicators of stress in speech and language from interviews with bereaved individuals. Using these stress indicators, a model will be developed and tested to predict future suicidal ideation and long-term adjustment following the loss of a spouse.

Jazmin Reyes-Portillo, Ph.D.

Montclair State University

Increasing Engagement of College Students At-Risk for Suicide in Online Intervention

$30,000
Grant Type: Pilot Research Grant
Research Area: T, C

While many college students experience suicidal ideation and may attempt suicide, reluctance to seek mental health services online often leads to low enrollment and high drop-out rates. This study will explore the barriers and preferences of college students towards online interventions. An engagement strategy will be developed and used to test the effectiveness of Enhanced Therapist Assisted Online. The goal is to facilitate the use of online mental health services among college students.

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