Suicide and self-harm: series of articles in The Lancet

shutterstock_99555758

Suicide is the second most common cause of death in young people worldwide (after accidental death). A wide range of factors contribute to self-harm and suicide, including mental health, poverty, living in a rural setting and being single. There is scant evidence for the treatment of self-harm or suicide with talking treatments or drugs and [read the full story…]

One in 12 teenagers self harm, but most stop spontaneously

shutterstock_55837

Researchers from Australia have published the first population based study to chart the incidence of self harm during the transition from late adolescence through to adulthood. They recruited a stratified random sample of 1,943 teenagers from 44 schools across Victoria over a 16 year period (1992-2008). Participants were given questionnaires and telephone interviews and followed [read the full story…]

Adding group psychotherapy to routine care does not improve outcomes in adolescents who repeatedly self-harm

paper cut face

Researchers from Manchester University have conducted one of the largest randomised controlled trials ever undertaken to investigate self-harm in adolescents. The trial published in the BMJ examined the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group therapy for self harm in young people by randomising 366 patients to: Manual based developmental group therapy programme specifically designed for adolescents [read the full story…]