NCT06831942

Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program for Older Adults (ASSIP-OA): An RCT and a Qualitative Evaluation of a Psychosocial Intervention for Suicidal Adults Aged 65+

Recruiting now NA Last updated 17 November 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing ASSIP-OA in Suicidal Ideation in 132 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

1 October 2025

Primary endpoint
1 June 2029

1 June 2031

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Vastra Gotaland Region
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	132
Start date	1 October 2025
Primary completion	1 June 2029
Estimated completion	1 June 2031
Sites	2 locations across Sweden

Drugs / interventions tested

• ASSIP-OA
• Treatment as Usual (TAU) — full drug profile →

Conditions studied

• Suicidal Ideation — all drugs for Suicidal Ideation →
• Suicide Attempt — all drugs for Suicide Attempt →
• Suicide — all drugs for Suicide →

Sponsor

Vastra Gotaland Region — full company profile →

Who can join

65 and older, any sex, with Suicidal Ideation or Suicide Attempt. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

What's being measured

Primary outcomes are the specific endpoints the trial is designed to prove or disprove.

• New suicidal episode which includes suicide attempt or death by suicide
  Time frame: Follow-ups at 6, 12 and 24 months
  The primary outcome variable at 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-up is any "new suicidal episode," a composite rating that is coded "yes" in the event of a) a new suicide attempt as registered in the participant's medical record or the national hospital register or b) suicide death as registered in the national cause of death register.

Sponsor's own description

Older adults are sorely underrepresented in suicide prevention research, despite the fact that suicide rates are higher in this age group than in any other age group in Sweden and in many countries worldwide. There are extremely few clinical intervention studies that target this age group, with to date no published studies in Europe. The overall aim is to develop and test a modified version of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP), which the investigators will adapt specifically for older adults (65+). The original ASSIP was developed in Switzerland where it has shown an 80% decrease in risk of new suicide attempts compared to ordinary treatment. In Sweden, ASSIP is currently being tested for persons aged 18+ . The investigators now propose a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate a modification of ASSIP specifically designed to meet the needs of suicidal persons aged 65 and above, the ASSIP-Older Adult program (ASSIP-OA).

Main study questions

1. Compared to treatment as usual (TAU), will the addition of the ASSIP-OA to ordinary treatment have a preventive effect on suicide and suicide attempts within 6, 12, and 24 months following the index episode?
2. Compared to TAU, do ASSIP-OA participants show better improvement in coping skills and psychiatric symptoms a) after the last session and b) at 6-,12- and 24- month follow-up?
3. Is a brief preventive intervention (ASSIP-OA) for older adults feasible, based on its acceptability, appropriateness, deliverability and fidelity? Do participants experience side effects? Do they have fewer days of inpatient care?
4. What kind of challenges and opportunities do a) older adults and b) ASSIP-OA therapists experience in relation to implementing a brief preventive intervention like ASSIP-OA? Are the modifications that the investigators made in ASSIP-OA relevant for older adults?

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Attempted suicide short intervention program for older adults 65+ (ASSIP-OA): a study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.
   Hed S, Berg AI, Tillfors M, Ehnvall A, et al · · 2025 · PMID 40481430 · DOI 10.1186/s12888-025-07016-7