The BEACON Study: Smartphone-Assisted Problem-Solving Therapy for Men who Self-Harm
Status: Complete
Project Leads: Dr. Simon Hatcher (PI), Dr. Marnin Heisel (Co-PI)
Main Research Contact: K. Jo Wells
Funded By: Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit (OSSU)
In Ontario there at least 8,000 visits each year to the emergency department for an episode of self-harm. These patients are at a higher risk of dying by suicide in the following year. Research also shows that men are particularly vulnerably to this, making up about 75% of all suicide deaths in Ontario.
While suicide prevention strategies often stress the importance of using evidence-based treatment, the research has demonstrated that these treatments are few and far between. As researchers and clinicians, we need to ask ourselves, what is the best way to deliver treatment to meet the needs of men who self-harm?
To address this, we have developed a two-part intervention to provide treatment to men who present to emergency departments across Ontario for an episode of self-harm. This pairs an evidence-based treatment for self-harm (problem-solving therapy) with the convenience and mobility of a smartphone app.
This pilot study will explore the feasibility of conducting a larger clinical trial of this intervention. The main questions we wish to address in this study are:
Can we recruit patients into the study and do patients stay in the study once they agree to participate?
Is this blended treatment acceptable to patients (e.g., will they use it)?
What impact does adding a smartphone application to therapy have on mental health outcomes (e.g., suicidality, depression, anxiety, and harmful substance use), quality of life, and problem-solving skills compared to therapy alone?
Problem-Solving Therapy
Problem-solving therapy is a brief talk therapy that is usually provided to patients over four to eight sessions. During these therapy sessions, the therapist and the patient work together to determine what problems are most impacting the patient’s life and work together to apply a structured approach to coping with these problems.
For more information on the steps involved in problem-solving therapy, please visit: https://problemsolvingtherapy.ac.nz/3.html
The BEACON App
The BEACON app was developed to assist with the treatment of men who self-harm. It includes a number of different parts which we believe will extend the positive impacts of therapy in between sessions. The app provides patients with targeted resources to help them cope with self-harm in between sessions, including links to websites, videos, and podcasts. It also gives the patient the ability to connect with their therapist in between sessions through the use of the chat function. Finally, should a patient find themselves in distress, they can hit the “BEACON” button and immediately be provided suggested supports.