Intervention Trial to Improve Adherence to Community Treatment by Adolescents After a Suicide Attempt

• NCJ Number: 194475
• Journal: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 41 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 435-442
• Author(s): Anthony Spirito Ph.D.; Julie Boergers Ph.D.; Deidre Donaldson Ph.D.; Duane Bishop M.D.; William Lewander M.D.
• Date Published: April 2002
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH52411
• Sponsoring Agency: Van Ameringen Foundation, Inc; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper seeks to determine whether a problem-solving intervention would increase adherence to outpatient treatment for adolescents after a suicide attempt.

Abstract

Failure to adhere to treatment is a significant problem in psychotherapy research and has been particularly problematic with adolescent suicide attempters. One factor was related to treatment adherence: a brief psychiatric hospitalization after the attempt did result in greater treatment attendance at follow-up. This paper addresses a broader range of factors related to treatment adherence than did previous studies. A brief inpatient psychiatric stay following a suicide attempt was related to both greater use of psychotropic medication and more contact with mental health professionals in the 3 months following a suicide attempt. More than half of the families in this study reported that access to services was a major problem. The type of intervention studied here, which is designed to primarily affect family and individual barriers to participation in treatment, may be useful, but only if there are enough resources devoted to ensuring adequate access to services. Tables, references