title: Treating nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents: consensus based German guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a frequent and clinically relevant phenomenon in adolescence. Within Europe, Germany has one of the highest prevalence rates in youth with lifetime prevalence ranging between 25 and 35%. However, treatment guidelines for NSSI are not yet available.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consensus based clinical guidelines were created by a working group consisting of members of eleven medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic professional national associations, and two members of patient self-help and prevention groups. The guidelines were developed in consecutive expert meetings and literature searches and agreed on in a final consensus conference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Given that evidence on both the psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment of NSSI is limited, a consensus based approach was chosen. The consensus indicated that due to the accumulating evidence on the efficacy of psychotherapeutic approaches, core elements of psychotherapy should be provided in treatment of NSSI. A specific psychopharmacological therapy of NSSI cannot be recommended. In addition, the guidelines provide recommendations for surgical intervention of NSSI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In accordance with the heterogeneous level of evidence, recommendations for the clinical management of NSSI in adolescence were made during a consensus conference after reviewing available literature. There is still a lack of knowledge on prevention as well as clinical interventions, which needs to be addressed by further clinically relevant studies.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Plener
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fegert
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Rebecca C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Groschwitz
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: In-Albon
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaess
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Nestor D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kapusta
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Marburg and Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Becker
keywords: Adolescents; Guideline; NSSI; Nonsuicidal self-injury; Self-harm; Therapy