Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Via Telehealth Cuts Suicide Attempts
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2024 -- Brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT) delivered via video telehealth is effective for reducing suicide attempts among adults with recent suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in JAMA Network Open.
Justin C. Baker, Ph.D., from The Ohio State University in Columbus, and colleagues tested the efficacy of BCBT delivered via video telehealth for reducing suicide attempts and suicidal ideation among high-risk adults. Analysis included 96 adults randomly assigned to either BCBT or present-centered therapy (PCT).
The researchers found that from baseline to 12 months, 12 of 45 participants receiving PCT made 56 suicide attempts versus 11 of 51 participants receiving BCBT who made 36 suicide attempts. Significantly fewer suicide attempts were made among participants receiving BCBT versus PCT (mean, 0.70 attempts per participant versus 1.40 per participant), yielding a lower risk for suicide attempts (hazard ratio, 0.59). In both groups, severity of suicidal ideation significantly decreased, but there was no significant difference between the groups.
"To our knowledge, this study is the first study to demonstrate that individuals at high risk of suicide can be safely and effectively treated via telehealth, which has implications for increasing access to care, while maintaining treatment fidelity with established evidence-based treatments," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 May Affect Risk for Alzheimer Disease
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) based on real-world data from the United States...
Combinations of Chronic, Physical Illnesses Up the Risk of Subsequent Depression
WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- Certain groups of physical multimorbidity may be associated with a higher risk of subsequent depression, according to a study published online May 13...
Exposure to Certain HIV Drugs May Significantly Lower Risk for Alzheimer Disease
TUESDAY, May 20, 2025 -- Exposure to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), which treat HIV and hepatitis B and inhibit inflammasome activation, is associated with a...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.