Psychiatric Bulletin (2008) 32: 423-426. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.107.018473
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Therapeutic assessment based on cognitive-analytic therapy for young people presenting with self-harm: pilot study

Dennis Ougrin, Research Fellow

*Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, PO85 Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, email: dennis.ougrin{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk

Audrey V. Ng, Specialist Registrar

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

James Low, Consultant Psychotherapist

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

Adolescents presenting with self-harm have poor adherence to community follow-up. Poor adherence is a principal obstacle to treatment delivery and is associated with poor psychosocial outcomes. Therapeutic assessment is a novel method of assessing adolescents with self-harm. We compared therapeutic assessment with assessment as usual in a pilot study of 38 adolescents referred for psychosocial assessment following self-harm.

RESULTS

Significantly more adolescents assessed with therapeutic assessment than with usual assessment attended the first community follow-up appointment (75% v. 40%, {chi}2=3.89, P<0.05) and engaged with services (62% v.30% {chi}2=4.49, P<0.05).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Young people assessed using therapeutic assessment may be more likely to engage with community follow-up. A therapeutic intervention at the time of the initial assessment might be necessary to enable future therapeutic work.