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A single conversation can make the difference: brief, structured interventions after a person has attempted suicide significantly reduce the risk of a renewed attempt. This is revealed by an international meta-analysis led by the University of Zurich.
People who have already attempted suicide once are at much greater risk of making further. At the same time, only around a third of them receive any follow-up treatment after they have attempted to take their own life. This is where there’s a vital role for brief interventions and contacts – structured measures for a limited period immediately after a suicide attempt. Examples include safety plans, brief psychotherapy measures such as problem-solving therapy, psychoeducational elements and regular contact by phone or letter.
A team led by psychologists from the University of Zurich (UZH) has now studied whether brief interventions and contacts after a suicide attempt can prevent further attempts. In addition, the team investigated whether they reduce suicidal thoughts, reduce instances of self-harm and help to improve the link to psychiatric or psychological care.
Significantly fewer re-attempts
To do this, the researchers analyzed 36 randomized controlled studies from 1993 to 2025 with a total of around 9,500 adult participants from Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. A total of 33 studies were included in the overall statistical evaluation. All the participants had made at least one attempt at suicide.
The key finding was that people who received a brief intervention were 28 percent less likely to re-attempt suicide than people who just received the usual medical care. On average, the participants then received follow-up observation over a period of around 10 months.
Suicidal thoughts also declined. This effect was particularly evident in the first few months after the intervention and diminished somewhat over time. By contrast, there was no evidence of any clear effects in relation to self-harm without suicidal intent or of the link to psychiatric or psychological care. Fewer studies were available to evaluate these aspects.
Easily accessible, scalable, practical
“Just a single structured session can be effective,” says lead author Stephanie Homan from the Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy section at UZH’s Department of Psychology. “These brief interventions are particularly relevant in emergency departments, on psychiatric wards or in outpatient care – so in any setting where there’s a limited supply of staff and financial resources.” They are suitable, for example, after emergency treatment or after a patient is discharged from hospital. At the same time, Homan emphasizes that brief interventions are no substitute for more intensive therapies. Rather, they can provide initial, rapidly available support and form part of comprehensive prevention strategies.
Better research into mechanisms of action and long-term effects
More research is needed to establish which specific aspects of these brief interventions are particularly effective and which groups of people can gain the most benefit from them. To clarify this, more studies on a sufficiently large scale are needed to directly compare different forms of intervention, better understand the underlying mechanisms of action and identify target groups more precisely. In addition, it is important to clarify how the effects can be stabilized over the long term and what role digital formats may play in this process.
Based on the findings that have already been obtained, the research team is currently developing new interventions to provide even more targeted support in future to people who have attempted suicide.
Literature
Homan et al. Effectiveness of brief interventions and contacts after suicide attempt: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine. March 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103824
Contact
Stephanie Homan, PhD
Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy
Department of Psychology
University of Zurich
Phone +41 58 384 28 02
E-Mail: stephanie.homan@bli.uzh.ch
Homan et al. Effectiveness of brief interventions and contacts after suicide attempt: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine. March 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103824
https://www.news.uzh.ch/en/articles/media/2026/suicide-attempt.html
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