title: The SAFETY Program: a treatment-development trial of a cognitive-behavioral family treatment for adolescent suicide attempters.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to describe feasibility, safety, and outcome results from a treatment development trial of the SAFETY Program, a brief intervention designed for integration with emergency services for suicide-attempting youths. Suicide-attempting youths, ages 11 to 18, were enrolled in a 12-week trial of the SAFETY Program, a cognitive-behavioral family intervention designed to increase safety and reduce suicide attempt (SA) risk (N = 35). Rooted in a social-ecological cognitive-behavioral model, treatment sessions included individual youth and parent session-components, with different therapists assigned to youths and parents, and family session-components to practice skills identified as critical in the pathway for preventing repeat SAs in individual youths. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. At the 3-month posttreatment assessment, there were statistically significant improvements on measures of suicidal behavior, hopelessness, youth and parent depression, and youth social adjustment. There was one reported SA by 3 months and another by 6 months, yielding cumulative attempt rates of 3% and 6% at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Treatment satisfaction was high. Suicide-attempting youths are at high risk for repeat attempts and continuing mental health problems. Results support the value of a randomized controlled trial to further evaluate the SAFETY intervention. Extension of treatment effects to parent depression and youth social adjustment are consistent with our strong family focus and social-ecological model of behavior change.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of California , Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Joan Rosenbaum
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Asarnow
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Nicholas L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005196:Family Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012449:Safety; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome