Recruiting

Safety Planning Program

Sponsor:

Northwestern University

Code:

NCT07365579

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation and Behavior

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 24

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Text Messaging based Safety Planning Intervention

Facilitated Referral to Crisis Resources

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study is testing whether it is feasible to run a larger randomized controlled trial and whether an automated text messaging program is acceptable to young adults who have suicidal thoughts. The program is designed to help participants create and use a safety plan, which is a personalized list of warning signs, coping strategies, supportive people, professional resources, ways to make their environment safer, and reasons for living. After joining and completing an initial survey, participants are randomly assigned by a computer to one of two groups. One group starts right away with the interactive safety planning text program. The other group first receives simple text messages with 24/7 crisis resources and then, after four weeks, also receives the interactive safety planning program. Participants use the text program for about four weeks and complete online surveys at the start and again over a total period of 24 weeks.

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation and Behavior

Study ID

NCT07365579

Start date

Jun 2, 2026

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Jun 30, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 4, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 24

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ages 18 to 24 \*The age to provide consent in Nebraska is 19. Individuals recruited from the state of Nebraska must be 19 or older.
2. endorsement of past 2-week suicidal ideation
3. Resident of the United States
4. Owns a smartphone

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Serious mental illness for which intervention would be contraindicated (i.e., active psychosis or mania)
2. Imminent suicidality (i.e., experiencing active suicidal ideation with a plan and intent to act)
3. Written English language skills that are insufficient to engage in the consent, design, evaluation, or intervention procedures.

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: SMS based safety planning intervention (SMS-SPI)

The SMS-SPI consists of a 4-week automated text messaging intervention. It is designed to guide users through the steps of the safety planning process for management of suicide related thoughts and behaviors. The intervention delivers structured, interactive messages daily addressing coping strategies, crisis resources, environmental safety, family and friends for support, distraction techniques, and recognition of warning signs. The number of messages sent each day varies based on users' interactions with the program; users who respond more frequently may receive more messages. In addition to text messaging, the program includes a web-based interface that enabled users to conveniently review and update their safety plan. The SMS-SPI uses message stems that establish a particular topic (e.g., identification of crisis warning signs) and message probes that follow-up on users' responses, which is individualized through branching logic.

active comparator: Enhanced waitlist control (eWLC)

Text messages that are non-interactive and contain referral to crisis services (e.g., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and (c) the Trevor Project Lifeline). Facilitated referral is a first-line prevention strategy for suicide and is a best-practice commonly integrated into internet-based screenings and informational tools.

Interventions

Text Messaging based Safety Planning Intervention

A 4-week automated text messaging intervention designed to guide users through the steps of the safety planning process. The intervention delivers structured, interactive messages daily addressing coping strategies, crisis resources, environmental safety, family and friends for support, distraction techniques, and recognition of warning signs.

Facilitated Referral to Crisis Resources

Text messages that are non-interactive and contain referral to crisis services (e.g., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and (c) the Trevor Project Lifeline).

Primary outcome measure

  • Frequency of suicidal thoughts [ Time Frame: enrollment to 4 weeks ]
  • Frequency of suicidal behaviors [ Time Frame: enrollment to 4 weeks ]
  • Severity of suicidal thoughts [ Time Frame: enrollment to 4 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Jonah Meyerhoff, PhD

312-503-1232jonah.meyerhoff@northwestern.edu

Locations

Northwestern University

Recruiting

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611

Contacts

Jonah Meyerhoff, PhD

3125031232jonah.meyerhoff@northwestern.edu

Principal Investigator:

Jonah Meyerhoff, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Last update posted

Jun 25, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • Text message
  • safety plan
  • suicide prevention

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Northwestern University on 2026-06-25.