Psychiatry
Group-based Problem-Solving Therapy Helps Self-Poisioning Females
By Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK
Mar 18, 2005, 16:07

Group-based problem-solving therapy is effective in treating women who deliberately try to poison themselves, a new study has found.

At the moment the treatment of suicidal behaviour has had only limited success. This study set out to test the effectiveness of a time-limited, group-based problem-solving intervention, compared with a 'treatment as usual' control group. Treatment as usual involved routine treatment at the psychiatric day hospital or outpatients.

18 clients attending a family therapy centre in Co. Dublin were equally allocated either to treatment or control groups. All clients were assessed using questionnaires designed to measure depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideas and social problem-solving skills. The questionnaires were given before the treatment, immediately afterwards, and at two-month follow-up.

It was found that the treatment group experienced significant reductions in levels of depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideas; and their social problem-solving skills improved.

Improvements in mental health and aspects of self-assessed problem-solving skills for the treatment group continued at two-month follow-up.

The control group did not, however, change significantly over time on mental health measures or in their social problem-solving abilities.

Further research is needed to verify these results and to explore constructive ways forward in suicide prevention.

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