Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents with Self-harm and Suicidal Behavior- an Open Trial

Launched by HAUKELAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL · Mar 14, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the effectiveness of a treatment called Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) in helping young people aged 13 to 18 who struggle with self-harm and suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Over a period of 20 weeks, the trial aims to see how well this therapy works in reducing self-harm episodes, suicide attempts, and depressive symptoms, as well as improving quality of life. Researchers will check in with participants after treatment, and again at 3 months and 12 months later, to assess how they are doing.

To be eligible for this study, young people must be between 13 and 18 years old and have a history of self-harm or current suicidal thoughts or attempts within the last six months. They should also meet certain criteria related to borderline personality disorder, which includes emotional challenges and unstable relationships. It's important that participants are fluent in Norwegian and have a parent or trusted adult who can support them throughout the trial. However, those with specific conditions like intellectual disabilities, severe learning impairments, autism spectrum disorder, or substance abuse issues will not be included in this trial but will be directed to other appropriate treatments.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age 13-18 years
• • Ongoing or a history of self-harm the last six months; current suicidal behavior (suicidal thoughts or at least one suicide attempt within the previous six months); at least three criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual -5 (DSM-5) Borderline personality disorder (BPD), or the self-destruction criterion of DSM-5 BPD in addition to minimum two subthreshold criteria as assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Personality Disorders (SCID-5-PD) (First et al., 2016)
• • Fluency in Norwegian
• • One parent/trusted adult that can participate together with the adolescent.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Intellectual disability
• • Significant learning or language impairments
• • Autism spectrum disorder
• • Anorexia Nervosa
• • Any psychotic disorder
• • Substance abuse disorder. These patients will be offered treatment as usual at their local outpatient clinic.