E. Guthrie et al., Randomised controlled trial of brief psychological intervention after deliberate self poisoning, BR MED J, 323(7305), 2001, pp. 135-137
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Medical Research General Topics
Objectives To determine the effects of a brief psychological intervention (
brief psychodynamic interpersonal therapy) for patients after deliberate se
lf poisoning compared with usual treatment To compare the impact of the act
ive intervention and usual treatment on patients' satisfaction with care.
Design Randomised controlled trial.
Participants 119 adults who had deliberately poisoned themselves and presen
ted to the emergency department of a teaching hospital.
Setting Community based study
Intervention four sessions of therapy delivered in the patient's home. Cont
rol patients received "treatment as usual," which in most cases consisted o
f referral back to their general practitioner.
Outcome measures Severity of suicidal ideation six months after treatment a
s assessed by the Beck scale for suicidal ideation. Secondary outcome measu
res at six month follow up included depressive symptoms as measured by the
Beck depression inventory, patient satisfaction with treatment, and self re
ported subsequent attempts at self harm.
Results Participants randomised to the intervention had a significantly gre
ater reduction in suicidal ideation at six month follow up compared with th
ose in the control group (reduction in the mean (SD) Beck scale 8.0 upsilon
1.5). They were more satisfied with their treatment and were less likely t
o report repealed attempts to harm themselves at follow up (proportion repe
ating 9% upsilon 28% in control group; difference 19%, 95% confidence inter
val 9% to 30%, P = 0.009).
Conclusion Brief psychodynamic interpersonal therapy may be a valuable trea
tment after people have deliberately tried to poison themselves.