Emotion Regulation Flexibility and Suicide Risk

The ability to employ emotion regulation strategies flexibly across contexts may enhance resilience in adolescence. Teaching emotion regulation skills is also a core feature of common interventions for acute suicidality in youth. When and how emotion regulation processes impact acute suicide risk remains unclear. This study seeks to examine this question, utilizing ecological momentary assessment and psychophysiology to explore in-the-moment and longitudinal relationships between flexible regulation and suicide.

Funding: NIMH

Mentors: Jennifer Blackford, PhD Autumn Kujawa, PhD Richard Liu, PhD Brandon Gaudiano, PhD Meg Benningfield, MD Ted Beauchaine, PhD George Bonanno, PhD

Mobile Health Intervention for Parents after ED Visit

The primary objective of this grant is to develop and pilot test a mobile health intervention (Intervention for Parent Education About Care after the ED; iPEACE) for parents of youth presenting to the ED for psychiatric care. Previous mobile health interventions in the pediatric emergency setting have primarily targeted adolescents, neglecting the role of parents in supporting their teens access to and engagement in care following a mental health crisis. The current proposal aims to address this significant gap in the literature.

Funding: Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation Access to Care Fellowship

Mentors: Megan Ranney, MD Tony Spirito, PhD Meg Benningfield, MD Autumn Kujawa, PhD

Understanding Disclosure of Suicidal Thoughts & Behaviors

In collaboration with Dr. Taylor Burke (Brown) and Dr. Kathryn Fox (Denver), this project seeks to better understand both teen and parents’ experiences when youth disclose suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The long-term goal of this research is to inform clinical intervention and guidelines to improve disclosure experiences for youth at-risk for suicide and self-injury.

Collaborators: Taylor Burke, PhD Kathryn Fox, PhD