Impact of Transdiagnostic Brief Behavioral Therapy on Suicide Reduction for Depressed Hispanic/Latine Youth
In brief
Brief behavioral therapy cuts suicidality in depressed Hispanic youth versus usual care
In a trial of 163 children aged 8 to 17, depressed Hispanic/Latine participants who received brief behavioral therapy showed a significantly larger drop in parent- and youth-reported suicidal thoughts and behaviors by week 16 than those referred to community care. The finding suggests transdiagnostic therapy may uniquely benefit this high-risk group, but larger confirmatory studies are needed.
- Journal
- Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research (Q1)
- Published
- 14 August 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Megan E Morillas, Francesca E Rodriguez, Pauline Goger, Karen T G Schwartz, David A Brent, Araceli Gonzalez, et al.
- PMID
- 42599702
- DOI
- 10.1080/13811118.2026.2711088
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Psychiatry and Mental Health (top studies of the week, 16 August 2026): RCT shows suicide reduction in depressed Hispanic youth
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Identifying effective interventions for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) among Hispanic/Latine youth is a public health priority. Anxiety and depression often precede STBs, and non-suicide-specific treatments for internalizing problems may mitigate the development of serious suicidality. Transdiagnostic therapy for anxiety and depression has shown strong outcomes for Hispanic/Latine youth and some evidence of non-targeted effects on STBs. However, it remains unclear whether transdiagnostic treatments impact STBs in high-risk subgroups, such as depressed, Hispanic/Latine youth. The current study explored whether Hispanic/Latine ethnicity and depression moderated intervention-driven changes in suicidality within a transdiagnostic therapy for pediatric anxiety and depression. METHOD: Archival data were analyzed from the Brief Behavioral Therapy (BBT) trial for this hypothesis-generating study. Youths aged 8.0 to 16.9 were randomly assigned to receive BBT or assisted referrals to community care (ARC). Parent- and youth-reported suicidality was assessed at baseline and post-treatment (week 16). Multiple regression models were estimated in a subset of youth (n = 163) to test if ethnicity (Non-Hispanic White [NHW], Hispanic/Latine) and clinically significant depression moderated the impact of BBT on suicidality. RESULTS: Results indicated a significant three-way interaction between ethnicity, depression, and treatment, with significantly greater reduction in suicidality for depressed, Hispanic/Latine youth in BBT relative to community care by week 16. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate the promise of transdiagnostic interventions for reducing suicidality among depressed, Hispanic/Latine youth, a population that experiences elevated risk for STBs compared to NHW counterparts. Confirmatory trials are needed to test whether transdiagnostic treatment accrues specific benefits for suicidality for this vulnerable group.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.