Evidence-Based Treatments for Self-Injurious Behaviors in Youth

CE Course Description

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) are a broad class of cognitions and actions aimed at intentional and direct injury to one's own body, and although rates of SITBs are relatively rare in childhood, they increase drastically during the transition to adolescence. The purpose of this intermediate level continuing education course is to review the current evidence base of psychosocial treatments for suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) in youth.  The course, which was developed using information from The Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, investigates the effectiveness of several interventions for SITBs in youth based on numerous studies.  In addition, the way in which insurance/funding sources and risk backgrounds may impact treatment for adolescents who engage in deliberate self-harm is examined.

Author: Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology , Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services

CE Course Objectives

1. Provide and overview of the scope of suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (also known as deliberate self-harm) among adolescents.
2. Review relevant intervention studies examining evidence-based psychosocial treatments for SITB/deliberate self-harm (DSH) in youth.
3. Differentiate between SITB/DSH interventions for adolescents that use cognitive-behavioral therapy, family-based therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and psychodynamic therapy techniques.
4. Outline considerations when determining which treatments are effective as well as components of probably/possibly efficacious treatments compared to those that are considered efficacious.
5. Discuss the outcomes of a Dialectical Behavior Treatment (DBT) program for self-injurious adolescents in outpatient treatment who have different insurance/funding sources and risk backgrounds.
6. Explore efforts to keep youth and their families engaged in SITB/DSH treatment to prevent early withdrawal, and to examine determinants of treatment success.
7. Identify future research directions for improving study design, replicating studies of promising treatments, examining treatment mediators and moderators, and developing effective brief interventions.

CE Course Outline

Part 1: Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors in Youth (90 mins)

1. Abstract (10 mins)
2. Introduction (10 mins)
3. Review Parameters (10 mins)
4. Review of Interventions for Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors (20 mins)
5. Summary of Evidence-Based Treatments (20 mins)
6. Future Research Directions (10 mins)
7. Concluding Comments (10 mins)

Part 2: Does Insurance Matter? Implementing Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Two Groups of Youth Engaged in Deliberate Self-Harm (90 mins)

1. Abstract (10 mins)
2. Methods (15 mins)
3. Results (30 mins)
4. Discussion (35 mins)