Citation

Courtney DB, Flament MF. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2015; 203(7): 537-544.

Affiliation

*Concurrent Youth Inpatient Unit, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, Universityof Toronto, Toronto; and †Youth Unit, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0000000000000324

PMID

26075841

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore clinical changes observed in suicidal adolescents treated with an adapted form of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for adolescents (A-DBT-A) in a tertiary care setting. We conducted an open-label naturalistic study including 61 adolescents with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors and associated features of borderline personality disorder, who underwent a 15-week course of A-DBT-A. Pre- and post-treatment measures were administered, the primary outcome being the total score on the Suicidal Ideas Questionnaire. Self-harm, symptoms of borderline personality disorder, resiliency measures, predictors of response, and predictors of attrition were also explored. Among participants who completed post-treatment measures, we found a significant reduction in suicidal ideation (n = 31, p < 0.001). Secondary outcomes also suggested improvement. Baseline substance use predicted attrition (HR 2.51; 95% CI 1.03-6.14; p < 0.05), as did baseline impulsivity score on the Life Problems Inventory (HR 1.03; 95% CI 1.004-1.06; p < 0.05). Overall, we observed clinical improvements in adolescents receiving A-DBT-A.

Language: en