Brief Psychological Intervention after Deliberate Self-Poisoning

Date: 2005

(For resources, this is the publication date. For programs, this is the date posted.)

Information

Type: Program/Practice, Treatment/Services Program, Program with Evidence of Effectiveness

Organization: University of Manchester

Costs:

Program costs include a standardized training manual, training, and the cost of four 50-minute therapy sessions held in the patients' homes.

See This Resource

Contact

Elspeth Guthrie, MB ChB; MSc; MD; FRCPsych
The University of Manchester
Institute of Health Sciences
Manchester, UK
elspeth.a.guthrie@manchester.ac.uk

This intervention provides four sessions of psychotherapy for adults who have deliberately poisoned themselves. Treatment is provided in the patient's home by trained nurse therapists. A study conducted in the UK showed decreased suicidal ideation in those who received the four 50-minute treatments compared to those who received regular treatment. In addition, at the 6-month follow-up, it was found that only 9% of psychotherapy group members had harmed themselves again compared with 28% of treatment as usual group members.

Note: This intervention is a legacy program from the SPRC/AFSP Evidence-Based Practices Project (EBPP), which stopped conducting evidence-based reviews in 2005 when SAMSHA began reviewing suicide-related interventions for NREPP.

Implementation Essentials

Therapists skilled in interpersonal therapy.

2012 NSSP Objectives Addressed:

Objective 8.2: Develop and implement protocols for delivering services for individuals with suicide risk in the most collaborative, responsive, and least restrictive settings.

Objective 8.3: Promote timely access to assessment, intervention, and effective care for individuals with a heightened risk for suicide.

Objective 9.5: Adopt and implement policies and procedures to assess suicide risk and intervene to promote safety and reduce suicidal behaviors among patients receiving care for mental and/or substance use disorders.