Intervention design for at-risk adolescents through new technologies: creating new bridges

Abstract

Suicide is among the leading causes of death with an increasing trend. Adolescents are an at-risk population, where the tendency to commit suicide not only increases but also predicts future risk. The growth of this phenomenon makes it urgent to validate effective interventions. Nowadays, adolescents are the most digitally connected generation, highlighting the importance of technology-based interventions for suicide prevention. Thus, there is a need to design interventions that target specific processes identified in the literature as explanatory mechanisms of suicidal dynamics in adolescents (12-18 years old) using digital tools and virtual media. The objective of this work is to design and validate a digital intervention for suicidal behavior in adolescents, focusing on specific mechanisms of suicidal dynamics. The intervention combines individual and group sessions, validated in a randomized controlled trial with three phases. The first phase involves pre-testing and screening for suicidal behavior. In the second phase, study groups are established, and the intervention is implemented. From the at-risk participants, two randomized groups will be formed: experimental and active control. Post-test evaluation and follow-up will be conducted after the intervention. The digital technology-based intervention is expected to significantly decrease suicidal behavior in adolescents. Interventions focused on particular mechanisms are expected to be more directly effective on those mechanisms. Effective digital interventions can reduce suicidal behavior and offer a scalable model for other at-risk populations. By focusing on specific mechanisms, more precise and personalized strategies can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of suicide prevention programs. Validating such interventions could advance suicide prevention, leveraging digitalization to reach at-risk youth more effectively