Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk
About This Grant
ABSTRACT Suicide is a critical public health issue and a leading cause of death in the United States. Individuals living with chronic pain face more than double the suicide risk compared to the general population. Despite this elevated risk, the mechanisms linking chronic pain to suicide remain unclear, and there are no established, targeted suicide prevention strategies for this growing and underserved population. The Catastrophizing, Anxiety, Negative Urgency, and Expectancy (CANUE) model offers an innovative framework for understanding suicide risk in the context of chronic pain. Originally developed to explain substance use vulnerability, CANUE posits that pain promotes maladaptive coping through negative reinforcement, and that cognitive-affective vulnerabilities—such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS)—amplify distress and motivate escape-based behaviors like suicide. IU reflects aversion to ambiguity, while AS reflects fear of anxiety- related bodily sensations. Both are theorized to heighten emotional reactivity to pain and fuel the desire for relief, including suicidal thoughts and urges. However, no study has directly tested this model in the context of chronic pain and suicide risk. The goal of this R21 study is to generate novel empirical data to determine how IU and AS interact to shape pain-related distress and momentary suicide risk using an innovative, multimodal research design. We will recruit 90 adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain and elevated suicide risk. Participants will complete a comprehensive laboratory session that includes validated self-report and behavioral tasks assessing IU, AS, and other CANUE-related factors, as well as quantitative sensory testing (QST) to assess pain sensitivity and affective responses to pain in a controlled setting. Immediately following the lab session, participants will complete a 21-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, delivering a mix of time-based, random, and event-based mobile surveys to assess fluctuations in pain, pain-related affect, suicidal ideation, and escape- motivated thoughts in real time and natural environments. This combination of experimental and real-world methods will allow for the first rigorous test of whether IU and AS have unique and interactive effects on pain sensitivity, pain-related affect, and recent suicidal ideation in the lab (Aim 1), and whether they moderate the dynamic, moment-to-moment associations between pain, affect, and suicide risk in daily life (Aim 2). We hypothesize that participants with higher levels of IU and AS will report greater recent suicidal ideation severity and show greater pain-related negative affect in response to experimental pain. We also anticipate that IU and AS will moderate real-time links between pain and suicidal ideation in the natural environment. By leveraging laboratory and ecological data, this project represents a significant and innovative step forward in understanding the mechanisms underlying suicide risk in chronic pain. Findings will advance theoretical models of suicide and pave the way for more personalized, mechanistically informed prevention strategies for this high-risk and understudied population.
Grant Summary
Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk is a NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health grant providing up to $433K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2028-06-30 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
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How to Apply
Up to $433K
2028-06-30
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk from NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health before the deadline.
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Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk?
Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk is offered by NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk provide?
Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk provides up to $433K per award from NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk deadline?
Applications for Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk are due 2028-06-30 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk?
To apply for Modifiable Mechanisms Linking Chronic Pain to Suicide Risk, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health.