Motivational Interviewing for Suicidal Adolescents

An intervention involving motivational interviews and limited case management did not improve early treatment initiation compared with usual care, but hope remains.

Suicidal ideation is common among adolescent emergency department (ED) patients. If the evaluation determines low immediate risk of self-harm, adolescents and families must then navigate complicated systems to access outpatient mental health care. In a randomized, controlled trial, these authors tested whether a motivational interviewing and limited case-management intervention (Suicidal Teens Accessing Treatment After an ED Visit – STAT-ED) improves treatment initiation at 2 months and mental health symptoms at 2 and 6 months compared with usual care by a psychiatric social worker. The trial enrolled 168 adolescents who presented to two pediatric EDs with nonpsychiatric complaints, were identified as high risk by a standardized screen, and…

Reviewing Author

Daniel M. Lindberg, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; MINDSOURCE

Editorial BoardsThe Quarterly Update: Reviews of Current Child Abuse Medical Research; Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesThe Helfer Society (Executive Committee Member)

Daniel M. Lindberg, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; MINDSOURCE

Editorial BoardsThe Quarterly Update: Reviews of Current Child Abuse Medical Research; Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesThe Helfer Society (Executive Committee Member)

Motivational Interviewing for Suicidal Adolescents

Topics

Reviewing Author