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Carter SP, Ammerman BA, Gebhardt HM, Buchholz J, Reger MA. Participant Reactions to Suicide-Focused Research. Crisis. 2020 Sep 1; 41(5):367-374.
Concerns exist regarding the perceived risks of conducting suicide-focused research among an acutely distressed population. The current study assessed changes in participant distress before and after participation in a suicide-focused research study conducted on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Participants included 37 veterans who were receiving treatment on a psychiatric inpatient unit and completed a survey-based research study focused on suicide-related behaviors and experiences. Participants reported no significant changes in self-reported distress. The majority of participants reported unchanged or decreased distress. Reviews of electronic medical records revealed no behavioral dysregulation and minimal use of as-needed medications or changes in mood following participation. The study''s small sample size and veteran population may limit generalizability. Findings add to research conducted across a variety of settings (i.e., outpatient, online, laboratory), indicating that participating in suicide-focused research is not significantly associated with increased distress or suicide risk.