# A culturally centered CBT protocol for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Latinx youth

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL · 2022 · $54,044

## Abstract

A culturally centered CBT protocol for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among
Latinx youth
Project Summary
The overall goal of this research program is to provide effective culturally relevant care to Latin
families, and address the NIMHD mission of reducing disparities in underserved and minority
populations. Evidence-based and culturally centered treatments for Latinx teens (Latinx =
gender inclusive term) with suicidal ideation and attempts (SIA) and their families are quite
limited. Emerging evidence indicate that Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a promising
treatment approach in reducing suicidal ideation and attempts in Non-Latinx White adolescents.
However, culturally adapted treatments have been shown to benefit Latin families more that
non-culturally adapted treatments. This study is innovative in its use of a culturally centered
CBT treatment protocol (Socio-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicidal Behavior-SCBT-SB) to
address the specific needs of Latinx teens and their families. The SCBT-SB addresses central
issues in adolescent identity formation (e.g. ethnicity, sexual orientation), family interactions and
communication, and parenting skills. The SCBT-SB was developed with Latinx youth with SIA in
Puerto Rico and further modified for Latin families in the US. Feasibility of this modified version
of the SCBT-SB was tested in the US by conducting a pilot RCT (n=46) of SCBT vs treatment-
as-usual (TAU) with positive results. It was found that SCBT-SB was feasible to implement in a
community mental health center with frontline therapists, acceptable to families, and showed
reductions in suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. The scientific premise of the proposed
study is that immigration and acculturation (the process of assimilation to the host culture) and
enculturation (maintaining cultural values and costumes) experiences have an impact on SIA in
Latinx teens; and that personalization of an evidence-based treatment, according to cultural and
immigration experiences, will result in better treatment outcomes than TAU. This application
proposes a hybrid efficacy/effectiveness trial with 160 suicidal Latinx teens randomly assigned,
following baseline assessment, to 2 treatment conditions, TAU and SCBT-SB. Follow-up
assessment will take place at 3, 6 and 12 months after baseline. All treatment will take place at
a community mental health clinic. The specific aims are: 1) To test the effect of the SCBT-SB
versus TAU on suicidal ideation in a clinical sample of adolescents under conditions of strong
external validity, and 2) To test the effect of the SCBT-SB versus TAU on depressive symptoms,
given its high correlation with SIA. Exploratory aims are: 3) To examine the effect of SCBT-SB
versus TAU on suicide attempts, and 4) To examine potential mediators (family environment) of
treatment outcome. Successful completion of this study will positively impact treatment of Latinx
immigrant adolescents at high risk of SIA in the ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10543312
- **Project number:** 3R01MD013907-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Yovanska DuarteVelez
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $54,044
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-06 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10543312

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10543312, A culturally centered CBT protocol for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Latinx youth (3R01MD013907-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10543312. Licensed CC0.

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