Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Group-Based Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Protocol for Suicide Prevention in a Brazilian Public Mental Health Service: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.
5 affiliations
- 1Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- 2Program for Education, Research, and Care in Treatment-Resistant Depression, Self-Injury, and Suicidality (Pro-DRAS), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- 3Center of Research and Innovation in Mental Health (CISM), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- 4Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
- 5Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Abstract
Introduction
We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of group-adapted brief cognitive-behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (BCBT) in a Brazilian public psychiatric outpatient service.Methods
This single-arm, nonrandomized, mixed-methods pilot enrolled 27 adults across two cohorts receiving 16 weekly group sessions. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed, and suicidal ideation was monitored weekly using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI).Results
Enrollment targets were met; 70.4% had ≥ 4 recorded sessions, and no intervention-related adverse events were recorded. All six questionnaire respondents rated recommendation at 8-10. Four provided qualitative responses, highlighting shared suffering recognition and an interpretive theme of hope instillation. The linear BSI slope was nonsignificant (B = -0.29, p = 0.129); multiple imputation yielded B = -0.36 (p = 0.018). An exploratory quadratic model indicated greater decline later in treatment (p = 0.008). Among 18 participants with ≥ 4 recorded sessions and baseline BSI, scores decreased by 8.2 points from baseline to the last observation (d = -0.67; p = 0.011).Conclusions
Group-adapted BCBT showed preliminary feasibility and acceptability, with uncontrolled signals of reduced suicidal ideation. Controlled evaluation is needed to establish efficacy.
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BibTeX
@article{figueiredo2026feasibility,
title = {{Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Group-Based Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Protocol for Suicide Prevention in a Brazilian Public Mental Health Service: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.}},
author = {Letícia Lopes de Figueiredo and Loren Beiram and Jônatas Magalhães Santos and Mariana Filippini Cacciacarro and Letícia Almeida Silveira Camolesi and Justin C Baker and Eurípedes Constantino Miguel and Craig J Bryan and Rodolfo Furlan Damiano},
journal = {Suicide \& life-threatening behavior},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1111/sltb.70143},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42876252},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Group-Based Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Protocol for Suicide Prevention in a Brazilian Public Mental Health Service: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study.
AU - Letícia Lopes de Figueiredo
AU - Loren Beiram
AU - Jônatas Magalhães Santos
AU - Mariana Filippini Cacciacarro
AU - Letícia Almeida Silveira Camolesi
AU - Justin C Baker
AU - Eurípedes Constantino Miguel
AU - Craig J Bryan
AU - Rodolfo Furlan Damiano
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Suicide & life-threatening behavior
DO - 10.1111/sltb.70143
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42876252
AB - Introduction We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of group-adapted brief cognitive-behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (BCBT) in a Brazilian public psychiatric outpatient service.Methods This single-arm, nonrandomized, mixed-methods pilot enrolled 27 adults across two cohorts receiving 16 weekly group sessions. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed, and suicidal ideation was monitored weekly using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI).Results Enrollment targets were met; 70.4% had ≥ 4 recorded sessions, and no intervention-related adverse events were recorded. All six questionnaire respondents rated recommendation at 8-10. Four provided qualitative responses, highlighting shared suffering recognition and an interpretive theme of hope instillation. The linear BSI slope was nonsignificant (B = -0.29, p = 0.129); multiple imputation yielded B = -0.36 (p = 0.018). An exploratory quadratic model indicated greater decline later in treatment (p = 0.008). Among 18 participants with ≥ 4 recorded sessions and baseline BSI, scores decreased by 8.2 points from baseline to the last observation (d = -0.67; p = 0.011).Conclusions Group-adapted BCBT showed preliminary feasibility and acceptability, with uncontrolled signals of reduced suicidal ideation. Controlled evaluation is needed to establish efficacy.
SN - 0363-0234
SN - 1943-278X
ER -