# Testing the Efficacy of ACT for Life: A Brief Inpatient Intervention to Maximize Recovery and Prevent Future Suicidal Behavior

> **NIH VA I01** · VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2024 · —

## Abstract

Psychiatric hospitalization is a critical opportunity to provide treatment to reduce the risk of suicide and
lay the groundwork for functional recovery. In fact, the period following psychiatric hospitalization presents the
greatest risk of death by suicide for Veterans. Despite psychiatric hospitalization being a vital time for
intervention, there are no suicide-specific evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) that can be feasibly delivered
during a typical VHA inpatient stay. Importantly, suicide-specific inpatient interventions are primarily focused
on reducing the reoccurrence of suicidal behavior and have limited or no focus on directly targeting other aspects
of functional recovery. Preventing suicide during a crisis is only a short-term solution if we fail to assist patients
in building a life they deem worth living.
 Our research over the past several years has been focused on addressing this gap and overcoming barriers
to implementing psychosocial interventions in an inpatient setting. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
is a psychosocial intervention well suited to both preventing suicide and enhancing functioning, but we were not
aware of any ACT-based treatment protocols designed to specifically target suicide risk. We consulted with
leading ACT clinicians and researchers to develop and manualize “ACT for Life”, a brief, transdiagnostic,
recovery-oriented, inpatient, intervention for Veterans hospitalized due to suicide risk. The individual
intervention involves 3 to 6 inpatient sessions and 1 to 4 outpatient sessions focused on skills generalization and
treatment engagement. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study evaluating the acceptability of ACT
for Life and the feasibility of the planned design for the proposed randomized controlled efficacy trial. Results of
this rigorous pilot study support the acceptability and feasibility of ACT for Life. Nearly all Veterans reported
that they believed they benefitted from ACT for Life. Preliminary outcomes suggest that ACT for Life may
improve functioning and reduce suicidal behavior following hospitalization due to suicide risk. However, a full-
scale clinical trial will be necessary to definitively evaluate the efficacy of ACT for Life.
 To accomplish this goal, we are proposing to conduct a randomized controlled trial of ACT for Life versus
Present Centered Therapy in 278 Veterans hospitalized for suicide risk to examine outcomes of suicidal behavior
and changes in functioning over a one-year period following psychiatric hospitalization. The specific aims of this
study are to determine the efficacy of ACT for Life for preventing suicidal behavior and maximizing functional
recovery, and to examine candidate ACT for Life treatment mechanisms. Participants will complete assessments
prior to treatment, before discharge from the inpatient unit, and at one-, three-, six-, and twelve-months
following discharge. The proposed randomized controlled trial of ACT for Life has the potentia...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10834912
- **Project number:** 5I01RX003547-04
- **Recipient organization:** VA EASTERN COLORADO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** SEAN BARNES
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10834912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10834912, Testing the Efficacy of ACT for Life: A Brief Inpatient Intervention to Maximize Recovery and Prevent Future Suicidal Behavior (5I01RX003547-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10834912. Licensed CC0.

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