EPP404
EFFICACY OF THE SAM PROGRAM IN REDUCING SUICIDAL IDEATION IN HIGH-RISK ADOLESCENTS: INITIAL RESULTS FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
W. A. Ahmed 1, B. G. Fernández 1, V. F. Rodrigues 1, A. D. L. T. Luque 1 2,*, M. D. Marsa 1 2 3
1Complutense University , 2CIBERSAM, 3Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
Introduction: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents. The high prevalence of suicidal ideation in this population highlights the need for brief and effective interventions. The Self-Awareness of Mental Health(SAM) program is a short therapeutic intervention focused on risk/protective factors and emotional coping skills.
Objectives: This study aims to assess the efficacy of the SAM program in reducing suicidal ideation and to examine its effect in preventing suicidal behaviours among high-risk adolescents.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 85 adolescents (aged 12–18) with high suicidal ideation, the sample was divided into two groups: 42 participants (clinical group) and 43 participants (control group). Participants were allocated to either an experimental group (SAM + standard care) or a control group (standard care only). Validated clinical tools were used: C-SSRS, SSI, among others. Pre- and post-intervention data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA.
Results: The SAM group showed a significant reduction in suicidal ideation intensity (C-SSRS) with a significant group–time interaction (F(1,29) = 10.116, p = 0.003), while the control group showed increased intensity (See Figure 1). The total scores on the SSI scale also decreased significantly in the SAM group (F(1,35) = 8.41, p = 0.006),with overall lower post-treatment scores (F(1,35) = 5.514, p = 0.025).
Both groups showed a decrease in the number of suicide behaviours (p < 0.001) and frequency (p < 0.001), but no significant between-group differences were found (p > 0.5).
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Conclusions: The SAM program was effective in reducing suicidal ideation in high-risk adolescents, particularly in terms of intensity and intent. Its brief format and compatibility with standard treatment make it a practical and clinically applicable tool for suicide prevention in youth populations.
Disclosure of Interest: None Declared