TY - JOUR PY - 2011// TI - Changes in problem-solving appraisal after cognitive therapy for the prevention of suicide JO - Psychological medicine A1 - Ghahramanlou-Holloway, Marjan A1 - Bhar, S. S. A1 - Brown, G. K. A1 - Olsen, C. A1 - Beck, Aaron T. SP - 1 EP - 9 VL - 42 IS - 6 N2 - BACKGROUND: Cognitive therapy has been found to be effective in decreasing the recurrence of suicide attempts. A theoretical aim of cognitive therapy is to improve problem-solving skills so that suicide no longer remains the only available option. This study examined the differential rate of change in problem-solving appraisal following suicide attempts among individuals who participated in a randomized controlled trial for the prevention of suicide.MethodChanges in problem-solving appraisal from pre- to 6-months post-treatment in individuals with a recent suicide attempt, randomized to either cognitive therapy (n=60) or a control condition (n=60), were assessed by using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, Short Form. RESULTS: Improvements in problem-solving appraisal were similarly observed for both groups within the 6-month follow-up. However, during this period, individuals assigned to the cognitive therapy condition demonstrated a significantly faster rate of improvement in negative problem orientation and impulsivity/carelessness. More specifically, individuals receiving cognitive therapy were significantly less likely to report a negative view toward life problems and impulsive/carelessness problem-solving style. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive therapy for the prevention of suicide provides rapid changes within 6 months on negative problem orientation and impulsivity/carelessness problem-solving style. Given that individuals are at the greatest risk for suicide within 6 months of their last suicide attempt, the current study demonstrates that a brief cognitive intervention produces a rapid rate of improvement in two important domains of problem-solving appraisal during this sensitive period.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0033-2917 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291711002169 ID - ref1 ER -