What this study is
Despite efforts to prevent suicide, US rates are climbing, and suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst youth. Digital tools, especially personal smartphones, are promising avenues to address these issues and can be used to increase engagement with effective interventions such as suicide safety planning. The BRITE suicide safety planning app was developed on evidence-based principles and has undergone rigorous formative development and effectiveness evaluations. However, to optimize its functionality, commercial viability, and scale its implementation, issues related to user engagement needed to be addressed. This 3 month Pragmatic Randomized Trial will evaluate the impact of the ViraSafe app-an enhanced version of the BRITE suicide safety planning app-on improving engagement with coping skills and safety planning among suicidal adolescents by comparing its intervention components to those of the original BRITE app.
What's being tested
- ViraSafe: Treatment pushes
Intervention · BEHAVIORAL
ViraSafe participants will complete a safety plan with their provider. Safety plan content will be editable and viewable throughout the intervention for both participants and their providers. Participants will be able to access the safety plan at any time in ViraSafe. Additionally, patients using ViraSafe will be prompted to complete a daily distress rating. ViraSafe uses automated algorithms (i.e., just in time adaptive intervention features) and user input from distress ratings to facilitate increased engagement with coping skills and pushes safety planning materials to users at periods of high risk (i.e., increases in emotional distress). In addition to the just-in-time reminders (i.e., nudges) pushed automatically by the system, through the Vira Pro platform, practitioners can schedule just-in-time reminders (i.e., "nudges") to arrive in the user's phone to support their behavior change plan.
- BRITE
Intervention · BEHAVIORAL
The BRITE app contains the teen's safety plan, links to videos of how to use coping strategies they indicated in their safety plan that have been useful for them (like guided mediation or deep breathing), a library of evidence-based and age-appropriate coping skills and strategies that the adolescent can learn more about, photos or videos that the adolescent has uploaded to the app, and includes a question asking them to rate their distress level in the moment: "What is your distress level right now?" (1 is "Least Distressed" to 5, which is "Most Distressed"). Then, the teen is asked to identify the feeling that fits their distress level via 12 emoji images: "Which feelings fit your distress level?" Based on adolescent's distress rate, the BRITE app suggests coping skills or "activities" for the adolescent to lower their distress level.
Study details
- Official title
- BRITE 2.0: A Just-in-time Adaptive Intervention for Suicide Safety Planning in Adolescents (ViraSafe RCT (SBIR Phase 2))
- Sponsor
- Ksana Health
- Conditions
- Suicide · Mental Health Disorder · Anhedonia
- Enrolling
- 100 people
- Starts
- 2026-06-18
- Est. completion
- 2027-12-31
- Design
- Single-blind, randomized, parallel groups
- Record
- View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Who can join
Age 13 Years – 24 YearsSex ALLHealthy volunteers Not acceptedYou may qualify if
- Youth (minors):
- 13-17 years old
- Suicide attempt in the last year and ideation in the past month
- English fluency and literacy
- Parent or legal guardian willing and able to legally provide informed consent
- Receiving care at one of the study clinical settings with trained providers to onboard ViraSafe or BRITE safety plan Youth (adults)
- 18-24 years old
- Recent suicide attempt or ideation with a plan
- English fluency and literacy
- Receiving care at one of the study clinical settings with trained providers to onboard ViraSafe or BRITE safety plan.
You can't join if
- Youth (minors):
- Unable to read/understand English
- Current manic or psychotic episode
- Development disability precluding comprehension of study procedures
- No routine access to a mobile phone, assessed by EHR review and during phone screen
- No eligible parent or legal guardian to provide informed consent Youth (adults):; Unable to read/understand English; Current manic or psychotic episode; Development disability precluding comprehension of study procedures; No routine access to a mobile phone, assessed by EHR review and during phone screen
Sign in and we'll check these against your records.Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Study locations (3)
3 openKsana Health Inc
Eugene, Oregon, United States
- Nick Allen Co-Founder & CEO, PhD · Contact206-745-9419nick.allen@ksanahealth.com
Not yet recruitingSTAR Center, Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- David Brent Co-Director, MD · Contact412-246-5619Brentda@upmc.edu
RecruitingUniversity of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Stephanie Stepp, Ph.D. · Contact412-383-5051steppsd@upmc.edu
Recruiting
Study team
Sponsor
Ksana Health
Study ID STUDY25040094
Frequently asked questions
The sponsor hasn't published answers to common questions for this trial.