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Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) decreases risk for suicide attempts in adults, but its usefulness for this purpose in adolescents is not well studied. In a multisite, randomized, controlled study, researchers compared DBT with a manual-based control (individual and group supportive therapy) in 173 self-destructive adolescents (mean age, 15; 95% female; 56% white). Patients had attempted suicide at least once, showed a recent increase in suicidal ideation, had ≥3 lifetime episodes of self-harm, and met ≥3 DSM-IV criteria for borderline personality disorder.
After 6 months of active treatment, DBT patients, compared with control patients, had about one third the risk for attempting suicide or for engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury or self-…