Development of a Positive Psychology Intervention to Reduce Suicide Risk

This pilot study will recruit patients admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit at MGH for
suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt. Inclusion criteria will be broad to increase
enrollment rates and obtain information for patients with a wide range of diagnoses and
illness severity. Enrolled subjects will complete randomly-selected positive psychology
exercises daily (on weekdays) until discharge and will rate the exercises in multiple
domains. Subjects' participation will be complete at the end of their admission or when all
exercises have been completed, whichever comes first.

Overall, our goal is to assess the acceptability and utility of eight possible positive
psychology interventions related to gratitude, optimism, kindness, mindfulness,
recollection, and forgiveness in suicidal inpatients.

This is a single-arm study, completed with patients who have been admitted to the hospital
for suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt. It is aimed at developing a positive psychology
treatment aimed at suicidal patients. The study consists of serial completion of different
positive psychology exercises, once daily, during admission, to get subjects' input on their
feasibility and impact. This will allow us to work collaboratively to identify the specific
exercises that best fit this population. Subjects' participation ends when they are
discharged from the hospital. The investigators plan to enroll 30 subjects at MGH (and
total) in this study.