Table 1.
Overview of randomized controlled trials of CBT for adults (aged 18 years and older) that included suicide-related cognitions as an outcome measure
| Reference | N | Main focus of intervention | Treatment group | Suicidal outcome posttreatment | Effect size posttreatment | Suicidal outcome follow-up | Effect size follow-up | Suicidal outcome follow-up | Effect size follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| de Groot et al29 | 122 | Grief in people bereaved by suicide | 1. Family-based CBT | Proportion reporting suicidal ideation: 18% (1) vs 17% (2) | 10.5 months; 1 vs 2, d=0.04 (95% CI: −0.48 to 0.56) | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Gandy et al30 | 45 | Epilepsy | 1. CBT | Score on the Neurological Depressive Disorders Inventory-Epilepsy suicide item:49 1.30 (1) vs 1.96 (2) | Posttreatment; 1 vs 2, d=−0.86 (95% CI: −1.46 to −0.23) | Score on the Neurological Depressive Disorders Inventory-Epilepsy suicide item: 1.47 (1) vs 1.69 (2) | 3 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.23 (95% CI: −0.84 to −0.38) | – | – |
| 2. Waitlist control | |||||||||
| Morley et al31 | 185 | Substance use and comorbid suicide risk | 1. CBT + usual care | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation:50 5.82 (1) vs 6.00 (2) | 6 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.21 (95% CI: −0.74 to 0.30) | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Rudd et al32 | 152 | Suicide attempts in military sample | 1. CBT + usual care | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation:50 2.71 (1) vs 3.39 (2) | 18 months; 1 vs 2, d=0.06 (95% CI: −0.60 to 0.48) | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Slee et al33 | 90 | Self-harm | 1. CBT + usual care | Score on the Suicide Cognitions Scale:51 46.63 (1) vs 59.70 (2) | 3 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.63 (95% CI: −1.08 to −0.17) | Score on the Suicide Cognitions Scale: 42.48 (1) vs 56.26 (2) | 6 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.65 (95% CI: −1.12 to −0.18) | Score on the Suicide Cognitions Scale: 36.60 (1) vs 54.88 (2) | 9 months; 1 vs 2, d=−1.01 (95% CI −1.50 to −0.52) |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Tarrier et al34 | 49 | Suicidal behaviors in schizophrenia | 1. CBT + usual care | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation:50 4.2 (1) vs 5.6 (2) | 4 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.18 (95% CI: −0.85 to 0.48) | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation: 4.1 (1) vs 5.1 (2) | 6 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.15 (95% CI: −0.81 to 0.52) | – | – |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Van Spijker et al35 | 236 | Suicidal ideation | 1. Internet-delivered CBT | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation:50 4.47 (1) vs 3.30 (2) | 6 weeks; 1 vs 2, d=−0.28 (95% CI: −0.54 to −0.03) | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Waitlist control | |||||||||
| Wagner et al36 | 62 | Depression | 1. Internet-delivered CBT | Score on the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation:50 2.27 (1) vs 2.40 (2) | Posttreatment; 1 vs 2, d=0.02 (95% CI: −0.47 to 0.53) | – | – | – | – |
| 2. Face-to-face CBT | |||||||||
| Weinberg et al38 | 30 | Deliberate self-harm in borderline personality disorder | 1. CBT + usual care | Score on the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire:52 27.47 (1) vs 42.69 (2) | 2 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.62 (95% CI: not provided) | Score on the Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire: 37.96 (1) vs 45.69 (2) | 8 months; 1 vs 2, d=−0.31 (95% CI: not provided) | – | – |
| 2. Usual care | |||||||||
| Weitz et al37 | 146 | Depression | 1. CBT | Score on the Beck Depression Inventory suicide ideation item:53 0.67 (1) vs 0.49 (2), 0.65 (3), and 0.55 (4) | 4 months; 1 vs 2, –d=0.24 (95% CI: −0.23 to 0.71); 1 vs 3, d=0.03 (95% CI: −0.44 to 0.50); 1 vs 4, d=0.16 (95% CI: −0.29 to 0.62) | – | – | – | |
| 2. Interpersonal therapy | |||||||||
| 3. Imipramine + clinical management | |||||||||
| 4. Placebo + clinical management |
Note: − means not applicable.
Abbreviation: CBT, cognitive behavioral therapy.