A mental imagery intervention targeting suicidal ideation in university students: An assessor-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial.

Palmier-Claus, Jasper; Duxbury, Paula; Pratt, Dan; Parker, Sophie; Sutton, Chris; Lobban, Fiona; Moorhouse, Jane; Kerry, Eirian; Russell, Chloe; Nyakutsikwa, Blessing; Drake, Richard; Eccles, Steve; Randles, Nathan; Patel, Rafeea; Kelly, James; Tattersall, Rosemary; Taylor, Peter James

Abstract

The Broad-Minded Affective Coping (BMAC) intervention is a theory-driven cognitive therapy aiming to reduce suicidal ideation through guided positive mental imagery. We explored the feasibility and acceptability of a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the BMAC intervention in university students. The trial was a two-arm, randomised (ratio 1:1) controlled feasibility trial comparing risk assessment and signposting with or without the BMAC intervention (ISRCTN 13621293; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05296538). Participants had recent suicidal ideation or behaviour. Feasibility outcomes concerned recruitment, retention, intervention adherence, completion of a suicidal ideation assessment, and the safety of the procedures. Clinical outcomes and putative mechanisms were recorded at baseline and after eight, 16, and 24-weeks. All feasibility criteria were met. Sixty-five participants were randomized (99 % of target sample). Retention to follow-up was high at all timepoints (89-91 %). In the treatment arm, 30 out of 33 participants (91 %) attended ≥2 sessions of the BMAC. Retained participants completed a suicidal ideation assessment with no missing data. There were 19 serious adverse events, but none were related to the trial procedures or intervention. Effect estimates for suicidal ideation favoured the intervention. The trial and intervention were acceptable, feasible, and safe. The efficacy of the intervention requires evaluation in a definitive trial. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.]

Citation

Palmier-Claus, J., Duxbury, P., Pratt, D., Parker, S., Sutton, C., Lobban, F., Moorhouse, J., Kerry, E., Russell, C., Nyakutsikwa, B., Drake, R., Eccles, S., Randles, N., Patel, R., Kelly, J., Tattersall, R., & Taylor, P. J. (2025). A mental imagery intervention targeting suicidal ideation in university students: An assessor-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 191(August 2025), Article 104780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2025.104780

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 19, 2025
• Online Publication Date: May 20, 2025
• Publication Date: May 20, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 16, 2025
• Journal: Behaviour research and therapy
• Print ISSN: 0005-7967
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 191
• Issue: August 2025
• Article Number: 104780
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2025.104780
• Keywords: Students, Psychological therapy, Suicide, Self-harm, Positive imagery, Feasibility trial
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1278733
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796725001020?via%3Dihub