Circles of Hope: Group Intervention for Adolescents With Suicidal Symptoms

This pilot study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a short-term group psychotherapy intervention for adolescents experiencing suicidal symptoms without immediate suicidal intent. The intervention is implemented within a public child and adolescent mental health clinic and includes emotional processing, interpersonal work, psychoeducation, and parental involvement. The study will evaluate participant engagement, attendance, and preliminary changes in suicidal ideation and related emotional and interpersonal functioning. The goal of the study is to contribute to the development of safe, feasible, and accessible group-based interventions for adolescents at suicide risk within public mental health services.

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Key information

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Self-Injurious Behavior Suicide

Age range

12 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Adolescent suicidality represents a major clinical and public mental health challenge, with increasing rates of suicidal ideation and related emotional distress among youth. Although evidence-based psychotherapies for suicidal adolescents exist, many are resource-intensive and primarily delivered in individual formats, limiting their accessibility within public mental health systems.

This study examines a short-term group psychotherapy intervention ("Circles of Hope") developed for adolescents experiencing suicidal symptoms without immediate suicidal intent. The intervention is designed for implementation within routine public mental health services and aims to provide an accessible and structured therapeutic response for adolescents at suicide risk.

The intervention includes emotional processing, interpersonal group work, psychoeducational components, ongoing risk monitoring, and parental involvement. Groups are conducted in a small-group format within a child and adolescent mental health clinic.

The primary aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, including recruitment, retention, attendance, and participant engagement. Secondary aims include preliminary examination of changes in suicidal ideation and related emotional and interpersonal outcomes.

Participants will complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Findings from this study are intended to contribute to the development of safe, feasible, and accessible group-based interventions for adolescents with suicidal symptoms in public mental health settings.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Adolescents aged 12-18 years
Presence of suicidal symptoms or suicidal ideation
Ability to participate in a group psychotherapy intervention
Ability to provide informed assent and parental consent

Exclusion criteria

Immediate suicidal intent requiring urgent hospitalization or intensive intervention
Acute psychotic symptoms or severe cognitive impairment interfering with group participation
Clinical condition preventing participation in a group setting, as determined by clinical assessment

Treatment and study plan

Circles of Hope Group Psychotherapy

Behavioral

A short-term group psychotherapy intervention for adolescents experiencing suicidal symptoms without immediate suicidal intent. The intervention includes emotional processing, interpersonal group work, psychoeducational components, ongoing risk monitoring, and parental involvement within a public child and adolescent mental health clinic.

Primary outcomes

Suicidal Ideation - Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ)

Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (after completion of the 8-session intervention)

Suicidal ideation will be assessed using the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), a self-report measure assessing the frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts.
Suicidal Ideation - Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI)

Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention (after completion of the 8-session intervention)

Suicidal ideation will be assessed using the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI), which assesses cognitive and motivational aspects of suicidal ideation, including planning, wish to die, and perceived ability to act.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Chen Mike, PhD Candidate

CONTACT

[email protected]

+972506555008

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Haifa

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Circles of Hope: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Short-Term Group Psychotherapy Intervention for Adolescents With Suicidal Symptoms

Acronym: COH

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2027
Study completion: 2028
First posted: Sep 14, 2026
Registry last updated: Sep 14, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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