Enhancing treatment adherence with a specialized emergency room program for adolescent suicide attempters.
OBJECTIVE
The evaluation of outpatient treatment adherence among 140 Latina adolescent suicide attempters and their families.


METHODS
Sequentially, 75 attempters received standard emergency room care and 65 attempters received a specialized emergency room program including (1) training workshops for emergency room staff, (2) a videotape aimed at modifying families' treatment expectations, and (3) an on-call family therapist.


RESULTS
Attempters receiving the specialized program were more likely to attend one treatment session (95.4% versus 82.7%) and were somewhat more likely to attend more sessions (5.7 versus 4.7) than those receiving standard emergency room care; however, their mothers were less likely to complete treatment. In addition, participants receiving the specialized program reported reduced psychiatric symptoms, and mothers reported more positive attitudes toward treatment and perceptions of family interactions.


CONCLUSIONS
Adherence was significantly improved by receiving the specialized care program in the emergency room. Adherence was also associated with increased suicidal ideation, more cohesive family relations, and lower self-esteem at baseline.
Rotheram-Borus
M J
MJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of California at Los Angeles 90024, USA.
Piacentini
J
J
Van Rossem
R
R
Graae
F
F
Cantwell
C
C
Castro-Blanco
D
D
Miller
S
S
Feldman
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009042:Motivation; D009519:New York City; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology