Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Replication Trial

The number of suicides by military personnel and veterans has steadily increased during the past few decades and remains elevated. Previous research conducted with active duty Army personnel supports the superiority of BCBT and its components over treatment as usual for the reduction of suicide attempts. Additional research is needed to determine if these effects are generalizable to military personnel and veterans more broadly and to confirm hypothesized mechanisms of action. Reference to "active duty" refers to U.S. military service members that have been activated and deployed as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) in accordance with federal orders under Title 10 or 32, United States Code. Reference to "veteran" refers to any person who has served in the U.S. military at any time, regardless of Branch, Component, era, or discharge status. Specific Aim 1:To replicate previous findings supporting the efficacy of BCBT for the prevention of suicide attempts among military personnel and veterans (regardless of Axis I or II diagnosis). The standard null hypothesis will involve tests conducted comparing improvement following BCBT to Present-Centered Therapy (PCT) Specific Aim 2: To identify cognitive-affective mediators of BCBT's effects on risk for suicide attempt.