# Transdiagnostic Reward System Dynamics and Social Disconnection in Suicide

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2024 · $765,241

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This resubmitted project evaluates the role of the positive valence system (PVS) in the interpersonal processes
of disclosure, help-seeking, and safety planning in a transdiagnostic sample at risk for suicide. Interpersonal
factors are central to contemporary models of the transition from suicide ideation to behavior, and social
resources are key to effective suicide safety planning. Yet, interventions to promote informal help-seeking
have been ineffective to date, and almost half of people do not disclose suicidal thoughts to anyone prior to
attempt. Basic research on the mechanisms underlying social approach or avoidance behaviors in suicide
could help identify new targets for more effective suicide prevention interventions. Here, we focus on
investigating how the reward system (i.e., valuation, responsiveness and/or learning) is involved in engaging in
social outreach behaviors before and during crises. In this proposal, we will recruit participants with either
affective or psychotic disorders, stratified by current active suicidal ideation. Purposive sampling of both
affective and psychotic diagnoses enables inclusion of a group with a similar high background risk of suicide,
yet varying PVS and negative valence system (NVS) profiles. We will use a measurement burst longitudinal
design which integrates lab-based tasks with bouts of ecological momentary assessment and passive sensing.
Participants will be followed longitudinally for 12 months. Among lab-based tasks, we will administer our
validated dyadic paradigm that simultaneously evaluates PVS and NVS components in a simulated social
affiliation and disclosure context, and enables facial emotion coding and natural language processing of
speech. In Aim 1, we will administer lab-based tasks and focus on evaluating the impact of PVS on suicide-
related social affiliation, including social elements of the standard safety plan (e.g., people to contact in crisis)
and help seeking opportunity within each individual’s social network. In Aim 2, we will use mobile assessments
to model short-term dynamics of suicidal ideation and whether and to whom ideation is disclosed. In Aim 3, we
will integrate lab-based and ecological momentary assessment data streams to build and test integrated
predictive models of suicidal behavior over 12 months, evaluating stability of effects across affective or
psychotic syndromes. We will evaluate whether social affiliation dynamics mediate the relationship between
PVS components and suicidal ideation and behavior. The intended products of this research include an
integrated dataset informative for translational interventions to improve long-term and acute suicide prevention.
Innovative aspects of the proposed study include the lab-based dyadic social affiliation task, use of mobile
health and computational methods to model dynamic aspects of help seeking, and the focal comparison of
psychotic and affective syndromes. This proposal aligns with R...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10843803
- **Project number:** 5R01MH130396-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Colin A. Depp
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $765,241
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-05-18 → 2028-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10843803

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10843803, Transdiagnostic Reward System Dynamics and Social Disconnection in Suicide (5R01MH130396-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10843803. Licensed CC0.

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