title: Supportive short-term family therapy by nursing staff in the inpatient unit: preventing dependence and rehospitalization in the acutely ill and suicidal adolescent.
abstract: Adolescents with acute mental illness or suicidal behavior are almost always hospitalized for safety and evaluation purposes. The tendency towards long-term or repeated hospitalizations has many adverse effects such as dependency on the mental health care system and increased chronicity of illness. The causes for these phenomena may be prevented in the early stages of hospitalization. We suggest a therapeutic model of supportive short-term family therapy. The family therapy component aims to enhance the quality of interaction and the level of support among family members. The therapy component dealing with the individual targets the patient's anxiety symptoms and coping strategies, and focuses on return to a healthy state. The child is encouraged to return home to a supportive family as soon as the treatment team feels this to be advisable. This paper discusses a case which highlights how a patient reacts in crisis, and ways in which a supportive environment can help bring about therapeutic success with reduced hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Adolescent Inpatient Department, Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tikva, Israel. MMitrani@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gokhshtein
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giner
authors.forename: Marsel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitrani
authors.forename: Inbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharabi
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorlyn
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sher
authors.forename: Pablo H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Sagit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Misgav
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carballo
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bolovik
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ben-Dor
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000298:Adolescent, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005190:Family; D005196:Family Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D012944:Social Support; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*