Recruiting

BEAR Group Therapy

Sponsor:

Stanford University

Code:

NCT07346638

Conditions

Interpersonal Trauma

Depression

PTSD

Anxiety

Suicidal Ideations

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

BEAR-SI

Study Details

Brief summary:

The current study aims to test the feasibility of a new form of group therapy for women who have a history of interpersonal trauma and current suicidal ideation. The Building Empowerment and Resilience (BEAR) Therapeutic group has been adapted for women who have experienced trauma and have current suicidal ideation. It incorporates psychological skills, psychoeducation about trauma and gender-based violence, and physical self-defense training, all within a therapeutic process. It will be implemented with women who have experienced interpersonal trauma (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse/neglect) and experience various mental health difficulties, including suicidal ideation. We aim to assess the feasibility to recruit and implement the BEAR group. Our ultimate aim is to assess whether the program can effect self-efficacy and suicidal ideation.

Conditions

Interpersonal Trauma

Depression

PTSD

Anxiety

Suicidal Ideations

Study ID

NCT07346638

Start date

Feb 17, 2026

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Aug, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women ages 18-75
  • History of physical, sexual, and/or sexual emotional violence, with subsequent interpersonal or psychological distress (e.g., depression or anxiety) related to this history.
  • Current suicidal thinking

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active, significant substance abuse, which could interfere with participation
  • Significant medical conditions that would preclude safe participation in the study
  • No history of interpersonal trauma
  • Acute psychiatric instability
  • History of assaultive behavior or is judged to be a potential risk to assault others.
  • No current suicidal ideation or behaviors
  • Unable to commit to the group for 12 weeks in-person

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: BEAR therapy group

BEAR therapy intervention

Interventions

BEAR-SI

The BEAR Therapeutic program is a twelve-week group that meets once per week for 1.5 hours per week. The program includes three main components. The first is a psycho-educational component which provides current information about assault statistics, common risk factors, myths that are often associated assault, and safety related information The second component focuses on the development of an assortment of interpersonal skills. This part of the group offers skills such as assertiveness or communication training, boundary setting, and coping skills. The third component of our intervention consists of a thorough set of self-defense skills that help women to keep themselves safe. The repertoire of skills include recognizing unsafe situations, utilizing one's voice, and release from holds. This section provides ample practice blocks, resistance skills, and specific techniques to keep one's self safe.

Primary outcome measure

  • Coping self-efficacy [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks (post-group) ]
  • Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation [ Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks (post-group) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Clinical Research Coordinator

650-724-7184bearstudy@stanford.edu

Locations

Stanford University School of Medicine

Recruiting

Stanford, California, United States, 94305

Contacts

Clinical Research Coordinator

650-724-7184bearstudy@stanford.edu

Principal Investigator:

Jennifer Keller, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Stanford University

Last update posted

Feb 20, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • interpersonal trauma
  • sexual assault
  • suicidal ideation
  • self-defense

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Stanford University on 2026-02-20.