Intervention for Suicidal Adolescents May Reduce Long-Term Mortality

Suicidal adolescents who took part in a program for which they chose several “caring adults” who stayed in regular contact with them and were supportive of their treatment were nearly seven times less likely to die during the follow-up of 11 years to 14 years, according to astudy published Wednesday inJAMA Psychiatry.The intervention is believed to be among the first aimed at suicidal adolescents that has shown a reduction in mortality, according to lead author Cheryl A. King, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan and colleagues.The study was a secondary analysis of atrial involving more than 400 adolescents, aged 13 to 17, who were hospitalized on a psychiatric unit for serious, frequent thoughts about killing themselves or a suicide attempt. The original study comparing adolescents who received Youth-Nominated Support Team –Version II (YST)—a psychoeducational, social support intervention—with those in a control group found that YST was associated with a significant reduction in suicidal ideation.With YST, the adolescents nominated three or four “caring adults,” such as parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers, parents of friends, and youth group leaders who attended a one-hour psychoeducational session. During the session, the adults learned about the youth’s treatment plan, suicide warning signs, how best to communicate with the ado lescents, and ways to increase the likelihood of youth’s adherence to their treatment plan. The adults received weekly suppo...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: adolescents Cheryl A. King depression suicidality suicide teens Youth-Nominated Support Team YST Source Type: research