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Objectives: This study aims to examine the proportions of patients referred to mental health, social and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) services and general practice and to assess care gaps among people presenting to the hospital following self-harm., Design: Population-based observational study. Data were extracted from hospital records., Setting: Three emergency departments (EDs) in Manchester, UK., Participants: 26 090 patients aged 15+ years who presented to participating EDs following self-harm and who received a psychosocial assessment by a mental health specialist., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measures are as follows: care gaps, estimated from the proportion of patients with evidence of social and mental health needs with no new or active referral to mental health, social and VCSE services. Secondary outcome measures are as follows: proportions of referrals by groups of patients, estimated mental health and social needs of patients. Indicators of mental health and social need were developed with academic clinicians (psychiatrist, general practitioner and social worker) and expert lived experience contributors., Results: 96.2% (25 893/26 909) of individuals were estimated as having mental health needs. Among this group, 29.9% (6503/21 719) had no new or active referral to mental health services (indicating a care gap). Mental healthcare gaps were greater in men and those who were aged under 35 years, from a black, South Asian or Chinese ethnic group, living in the most deprived areas and had no mental health diagnosis, or alcohol, substance misuse, anxiety or trauma-related disorder. 52.8% (14 219/26 909) had social needs, with care gaps greater for men, individuals aged 45-64 and those who were unemployed or had a diagnosed mental disorder., Conclusions: Care gaps were higher among hospital-presenting groups known to have increased risks of suicide: men, those in middle age, unemployed individuals and those misusing substances. Improved access to mental health, social and VCSE services and general practice care is vital to reduce inequities in access to self-harm aftercare., Competing Interests: Competing interests: NK reports research grants and fees to related his research and implementation work in self-harm and suicide prevention from the Department of Health and Social Care, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NK does not receive industry funding for research. NK is a member of England's National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group and is supported by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. NK chaired the NICE guideline development group for the NICE depression in adults' guideline and was a topic expert member for the NICE suicide prevention guideline. NK chaired the guideline development group for the NICE guidelines on the longer-term management of self-harm and was a topic advisor on the 2022 NICE guideline on self-harm. FM was a member of the 2022 NICE guideline development committee. The other authors declare no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Recent evidence indicates that the risk of death by suicide in teenagers has increased significantly worldwide. Consequently, different therapeutic interventions have been proposed for suicidal behavior in this particular population. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to provide an updated review of the existing psychological interventions for the treatment of suicide attempts (SA) in adolescents and to analyze the efficacy of such interventions., Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The studies were identified by searching PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from 2016 to 2022. According to the inclusion criteria, a total of 40 studies that tested the efficacy of different psychological interventions were selected., Results: Various psychological interventions for adolescents with suicidal behaviors were identified. Most of those present promising results. However, to summarize results from recent years, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was the most common and the only treatment shown to be effective for adolescents at high risk of suicide and SA. In contrast, empirical evidence for other psychological interventions focusing on deliberate self-harm (SH) is inconclusive., Conclusions: Interventions specifically designed to reduce suicidal risk in adolescents have multiplied significantly in recent years. There are a few promising interventions for reducing suicidal behaviors in adolescents evaluated by independent research groups. However, replication and dismantling studies are needed to identify the effects of these interventions and their specific components. An important future challenge is to develop brief and effective interventions to reduce the risk of death by suicide among the adolescent population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Importance: A major portion of adolescents and adults seeking psychiatric treatment report nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) within the past month, yet the short-term course of NSSI among these patients remains poorly understood., Objective: To advance the understanding of the short-term course of NSSI cognitions (ie, thoughts, urges, and self-efficacy to resist self-injury) and behavior., Design, Setting, and Participants: A cohort study was conducted using an intensive longitudinal design with ecological momentary assessment, including 6 daily surveys and event registrations of self-injury for 28 days. Data were collected from June 2021 to August 2023. Individuals using mental health services in the Flanders region in Belgium reporting past-month NSSI urges and/or behavior at intake were recruited by referral., Main Outcomes and Measures: Nonsuicidal self-injury thoughts, urges, self-efficacy, and behavior. Sociodemographic and clinical baseline characteristics served as between-person variables. Descriptive and variability statistics and dynamic structural equation modeling were used., Results: Participants completed a mean (SD) of 121 (34.5) surveys, totaling 15 098 longitudinal assessments (median adherence, 78.6%; IQR, 59.5%-88.7%). Among 125 patients (87.2% female; median age, 22.0 [range, 15-39] years; 52.8% heterosexual), NSSI thoughts and urges were present during most assessments but were low in intensity (individual means [SD] on a 0- to 6-point scale, 1.52 [1.13] for urges; 1.57 [1.18] for thoughts). The prevalence of NSSI behavior was 84.0% monthly, 49.90% weekly, and 18.19% daily. Between-patient variability was substantial (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.43-0.47; range of individual means for cognitions, 0-6; individual frequency behavior, 0-103), with recency and frequency of NSSI thoughts and behavior at intake consistently associated with individual differences in the course of NSSI. The greatest variability was observed within patients (root mean square of successive differences from 1.31 for self-efficacy to 1.40 for instability of thoughts), characterized by changes in the intensity of cognitions by more than 1 within-person SD between assessments less than 2 hours apart in 1 of 5 instances. Nonsuicidal self-injury behavior is rare in the morning, increased in the afternoon, and most frequent in the evening. Nonsuicidal self-injury cognitions were contemporaneous and temporally associated with each other's course, with higher-than-usual thoughts and lower self-efficacy uniquely signaling heightened risk for NSSI behavior in the next 2 hours., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of treatment-seeking individuals, NSSI cognitions and behavior appeared to be dynamic over the short term. These findings suggest the potential utility of self-monitoring outside the therapy setting and the need to focus assessment and interventions on the evening hours.

No abstract present.

Background: Self-injurious thoughts and behaviours are a major global public health concern, not least because they are one of suicide's strongest predictors. Solution-focused approaches are a psychotherapeutic approach currently being used to treat individuals with self-injurious thoughts and behaviours but there is little published evidence of their use. We conducted a scoping review to provide a comprehensive overview of how solution-focused approaches are being used to treat self-injurious thoughts and behaviours., Methods: Publications describing a solution-focused approach being delivered to any individuals experiencing any form of self-injurious thought and/or behaviour were eligible for inclusion. Five databases were searched (EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar) from inception to August 2024. Search terms contained keywords relating to both solution-focused and self-injurious thoughts and/or behaviours. Data were analysed using relevant steps from a narrative synthesis approach to summarise the participants, concepts, context and outcomes described in the included publications., Results: Twenty-four publications were included in the review. Publications demonstrated a global reach although the majority were published in the UK and USA. Five publications formally assessed and reported outcomes; two randomised controlled trials, one experimental pilot study, one case study, and one single group study. Only the Beck Depression Inventory was collected in more than one study (n = 4), with a range of other psychopathology and wellbeing-related measures. Three studies reported qualitative data, finding positive perceptions of the approaches by patients and clinicians. Fifty-one unique components were identified within solution-focused approaches. Often specific adaptations were described, or components were introduced, that specifically addressed suicide or self-harm. For example, identifying and working on goals related to reducing or stopping self-harm, or scaling questions that assess how suicidal someone currently feels on a 0 to 10 scale., Conclusions: This review demonstrates the application of solution-focused approaches for treating individuals with self-injurious thoughts and behaviours. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of how these approaches are delivered. The lack of outcome data and empirical studies highlights a need for more formalised evidence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are key to the frontline assessment and treatment of young people after self-harm. Young people value GP-led self-harm care, but little is known about how GPs manage young people after self-harm., Aim: This study aimed to understand the approaches of GPs to self-harm in young people and explore their perspectives on ways they might help young people avoid repeat self-harm., Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with GPs from the National Health Service in England in 2021. GPs were recruited from four geographically spread clinical research networks and a professional special interest group. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study's patient and public involvement and community of practice groups supported participant recruitment and data analysis., Results: Fifteen interviews were undertaken with a mean age of participants being 41 years and a breadth of experience in practice ranging from 1 to 22 years. Four themes were generated: GPs' understanding of self-harm; approaches to managing self-harm; impact of COVID-19 on consultations about self-harm; and ways to avoid future self-harm., Conclusion: Negative attitudes towards self-harm within clinical settings are well documented, but GPs said they took self-harm seriously, listened to young people, sought specialist support when concerned and described appropriate ways to help young people avoid self-harm. GPs felt that relationship-based care is an important element of self-harm care but feared remote consultations for self-harm may impede on this. There is a need for brief GP-led interventions to reduce repeat self-harm in young people., Patient and Public Contribution: A study advisory group consisting of young people aged 16-25 years with personal experience of self-harm and parents and carers of young people who have self-harmed designed the recruitment poster of this study, informed its topic guide and contributed to its findings., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Emerging evidence indicates that perceptions of self-harm behaviours and self-harm scars may thwart recovery from depression, yet limited research has explored adolescent accounts of their self-harm and scars during therapy. This study sought to explore how adolescents describe their self-harm behaviours and scars during Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and explore the sociocultural discourses that may influence these descriptions. The participants were six female adolescents (aged 14-17 years old) with clinical depression, who were engaging in self-harm. All participants accessed CBT as part of clinical trial evaluating three psychological treatments for major depressive disorder in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Audio-taped CBT sessions were analyzed using discourse analysis. Within CBT sessions, adolescents drew upon stigma discourses in talking about their self-harm. Adolescent also described their self-harm scars as shameful and stigmatizing, and as "proof" of the legitimacy of their depression. It is important for CBT practitioners to understand the context of sociocultural discourses around self-harm behaviours and self-harm scars, which are reflected in how adolescents with depression describe these within therapy and may serve to maintain distress. The study indicates that awareness of use of language and intersecting sociocultural discourses can inform CBT practice., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Extensive psychiatric hospitalization due to repeated severe self-harm (SH), is a poorly researched area, but a challenge within health services (HS). Recent studies have demonstrated high levels of involuntary treatment among patients with severe personality disorder (PD) and complex comorbidity. Keeping focus on extensively hospitalized SH patients, this study aimed to investigate patients' and clinicians' evaluation of HS and treatment alliance., Method: A cross-sectional study with an inpatient sample (age >18 years) with frequent (>5) or long (>4 weeks) psychiatric hospital admissions last year due to SH or SA recruited from 12 hospitals across health regions ( N  = 42). Evaluation included patient and clinician report., Results: A minority of the patients (14%) were satisfied with HS before the current admission, 45% (patients) and 20% (clinicians) found the current admission helpful, and 46% (patients) and 14% (clinicians) worried about discharge. Treatment complaints were received in 38% of the cases. Outpatient mental HS were available after discharge for 68% and a majority of clinicians indicated satisfactory contact across HS. More intensive or specialized formats were unusual (structured outpatient treatment 35%, day treatment 21%, ambulatory services 32%, planned inpatient services 31%). Mutual problem understanding, aims, and confidence in therapists during the hospital stay were limited (patient-rated satisfactory mutual problem understanding: 39%, aims of stay: 50%, confidence: 50%). Patient and therapist alliance-ratings were in concordance for the majority., Conclusion: The study highlights poor HS satisfaction, poor patient-therapist coherence, limited treatment alliance and limited follow-up in structured treatments addressing SH or intermediary supportive ambulatory/day/inpatient services.

Objectives: This retrospective cohort study aims to understand the effectiveness of the Singular Therapeutic Project (STP) implemented in a Child Psychosocial Care Center in preventing recurrence of self-harm and suicide attempt (SA), by comparing the group of patients who adhered to the STP with the group that did not adhere completely., Method: Data were collected from the medical records of adolescents with self-harm or SA during the period from 2015 to 2019. The primary outcomes analyzed were recurrence of SA, self-harm, and hospitalization; and the secondary outcomes analyzed were demographics, diagnosis, number of appointments, and negative life events., Results: A total of 228 adolescents were included. After multivariate analysis, social service consultations decreased risk in 94.6% (HR .054, 95% CI: .004-.681) of the cases, but risk was increased by 23 times if there was an episode of self-harm among family members and/or friends (HR 23.641, 95% CI: 1.394-400.8). Additionally, in terms of SA, adherence to family interventions reduced the risk by 66.2% (HR .338, 95% CI: .125-.913). Victims of prejudice, racism, homophobia, transphobia presented a 3.7-fold increased risk (HR 3.766, 95% CI: 1.058-13.401)., Conclusion: The STP interventions were effective in reducing the recurrence of self-harm and SAs in adolescents., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an increasing mental health issue among adolescents. General practitioners and pediatricians play a crucial role in detecting, evaluating, and managing these behaviors. This article aims to provide recommendations for the first line surrounding the young person, such as the appropriate stance to adopt and the use of a safety plan, for effectively managing NSSI patients. It takes into account the often-present interpersonal hypersensitivity in these patients and includes strategies for working with families and within a multidisciplinary network., Competing Interests: Les auteurs n’ont déclaré aucun conflit d’intérêts en relation avec cet article.

Background: It is unclear whether treatment early after onset in bipolar disorder may improve the long-term illness course. The early intervention in affective disorders (EIA) randomised controlled trial found that 2-years treatment in a specialised mood disorder clinic combining evidence-based pharmacological treatment with group psychoeducation improved clinical outcomes compared with standard treatment in patients with bipolar disorder discharged after their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd hospital admission. We aimed to assess the 16 years long-term outcomes after randomisation of the participants in the EIA trial., Methods: Data were obtained by linking nation-wide Danish population-based registers. All 158 participants of the EIA trial (Trial Registration Number NCT00253071) were followed from time of randomisation (2005-2009) to end of study (31 December 2021). The primary outcome was risk of psychiatric readmission. Secondary outcomes were total admissions and costs, medication use, intentional self-harm or suicide attempt or suicide, and socio-economic measures., Results: The absolute mean risk of psychiatric readmission was 49.3% in the intervention group and 59.8% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between the groups (b = -0.10, 95% CI: -0.26 to 0.047, p = 0.18). Compared with the control group, patients in the intervention group had numerically fewer total admission days (mean (SD) 44 (77) versus 62 (109)), lower total cost of psychiatric hospital admissions and hospital-based outpatient visits (mean (SD) 22,001 (36793) euros versus 29,822 (52671) euros) and higher use of lithium and antipsychotics, but the differences were not statistically significant. Fewer patients in the intervention group had an event of intentional self-harm or suicide attempt or suicide during follow-up (OR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.15-0.40, p < 0.001) compared with the control group and more patients in the intervention group used antiepileptics (OR 2.21, 95% CI: 1.08-4.60, p = 0.031)., Conclusion: Analyses of very long-term outcomes of the EIA trial may potentially indicate a beneficial effect of the intervention at the long term but were likely underpowered to detect a more subtle effect and for most outcomes the differences between groups were not statistically significant., (© 2024 The Author(s). Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), with findings demonstrating improvements in various BPD features and related behaviours, such as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Theory and research suggest that reductions in emotion dysregulation and interpersonal dysfunction could account for at least some of the reduction in NSSI observed during the course of DBT. The current research investigated: 1) the trajectory of changes in emotion dysregulation, interpersonal dysfunction, and NSSI over the course of DBT, and 2) whether changes in emotion dysregulation mediate the relationship between changes in interpersonal dysfunction and changes in NSSI over treatment. One hundred and twenty individuals with BPD enrolled in a multi-site randomized-clinical trial were assessed at five timepoints over 12 months of standard DBT. Results indicated that interpersonal dysfunction and NSSI decreased over the course of DBT. Emotion dysregulation decreased in a quadratic manner such that most of the gains in emotion dysregulation occurred in earlier phases of DBT. Although changes in interpersonal dysfunction predicted changes in emotion dysregulation, changes in emotion dysregulation did not mediate the relationship between changes in interpersonal dysfunction and changes in NSSI., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Dr. Kuo is a contracted employee for Behavioral Tech, a company that provides workshops and consultations in DBT. She is also a shareholder in Nellie Health, a private practice that offers DBT, and the founder and owner of Well Within DBT, a private practice that offers DBT. Dr. Chapman is a contracted employee for Behavioral Tech, a company that provides workshops and consultations in DBT. He is also the co-owner of DBT Centre of Vancouver, and receives royalties for books on DBT., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: There has been an increase in children and young people attending emergency departments for mental health reasons, including self-harm. Patients often report having poor experiences when attending emergency departments for mental health support. However, there has yet to be a review exploring the experiences of young people. Our aim in this study was to synthesise qualitative literature on young people's experiences of going to emergency departments for mental health support., Methods: A systematic review and metasynthesis were conducted. Five databases and grey literature were searched for relevant studies. Five articles met study criteria and were analysed using an iterative process of thematic synthesis., Results: The synthesis yielded four overarching themes: (a) emergency departments' inability to meet the mental health needs of young people, (b) emergency departments exacerbating patient distress, (c) patients feeling like a burden or undeserving of treatment and (d) consequences of poor emergency department experiences., Conclusions: These findings (based on a still very limited literature) highlight the role that emergency departments have in relation to being a key point of contact with young people who self-harm. To properly engage with patients, emergency departments need to have the resources to provide compassionate care and follow clinical guidelines regarding assessments., (© 2023 The Authors. Child and Adolescent Mental Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Objective: To evaluate rates of remission, recovery, relapse, and recurrence in suicidal youth who participated in a clinical trial comparing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Individual and Group Supportive Therapy (IGST)., Method: Participants were 173 youth, aged 12 to 18 years, with repetitive self-harm (including at least 1 prior suicide attempt [SA]) and elevated suicidal ideation (SI). Participants received 6 months of DBT or IGST and were followed for 6 months post-treatment. The sample was 95% female, 56.4% White, and 27.49% Latina. Remission was defined as absence of SA or nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) across one 3-month interval; recovery was defined across 2 or more consecutive intervals. Relapse and recurrence were defined as SA or NSSI following remission or recovery. Cross-tabulation with χ 2 was used for between-group contrasts., Results: Over 70% of the sample reported remission of SA at each treatment and follow-up interval. There were significantly higher rates of remission and recovery and lower rates of relapse and recurrence for SA in DBT than for IGST. Across treatments and time points, SA had higher remission and recovery rates and lower relapse and recurrence rates than NSSI. There were no significant differences in NSSI remission between conditions; however, participants receiving DBT had significantly higher NSSI recovery rates than those receiving IGST for the 3- to 9-month, 3- to 12-month, and 6- to 12-month intervals., Conclusion: Results showed higher percentages of SA remission and recovery for DBT as compared to IGST. NSSI was less likely to remit than SA., Plain Language Summary: This study examined rates of remission, recovery, relapse, and recurrence of suicide attempts (SA) and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among the participants in the CARES Study, a randomized clinical trial of 6 months of Dialectical Behavior Therapy or Individual and Group Supportive Therapy. 173 youth aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study and were followed for 6 months post treatment. Over 70% of the sample reported remission of SA at each treatment and follow-up interval. There were significantly higher rates of remission and recovery and lower rates of relapse and recurrence for SA among participants who received Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Across both treatments, remission and recovery rates were lower and relapse and recurrence rates were higher for NSSI than for SA. These results underscore the value of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as a first line treatment for youth at high risk for suicide., Diversity & Inclusion Statement: We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants., Clinical Trial Registration Information: Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotions and Suicide (CARES); https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/; NCT01528020., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Beneficence and nonmaleficence are key ethical principles toward which psychotherapists consistently strive. When patients engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) during the course of psychotherapy, therapists may feel responsible for visually assessing the severity of the NSSI wound in order to benefit their patients and keep them from harm. However, there are no guidelines for conducting these visual assessments, and there is no research exploring their effects on patients. This article considers the ethical implications of visually examining NSSI wounds; discusses psychotherapist scope of practice and competence; draws attention to relevant ethical standards; underscores risk management, liability, and standard of care; and addresses the risk of suicide or accidental death resulting from NSSI. It also provides ethical guidance for conducting effective verbal assessments of NSSI wounds and offers suggestions for navigating complex clinical situations, such as when patients routinely and spontaneously show their therapists their wounds and how psychotherapists should handle assessments and interventions related to NSSI scars. It ends with implications for training and therapeutic practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Self-harm is a major public health challenge, and repeated self-harm is common in those attending hospital following an episode. Evidence suggests psychological interventions could help people who self-harm, but few definitive studies have assessed their clinical and cost-effectiveness. Repeated self-harm is associated with poor quality of life, depression, suicide and increased health service costs which justify the development of psychotherapeutic interventions tailored for people with repeated self-harm., Methods: FReSH START is a multicentre individually 1:1 randomised controlled trial evaluating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of standard care plus psychological therapy or standard care alone for adults (≥ 18 years) presenting at an emergency department (ED) with repeated self-harm. Recruiting 630 participants, it includes an internal pilot, economic evaluation and process evaluation. The intervention will be delivered by mental health staff working in acute settings, with experience of assessing and managing risk in people presenting to emergency services with self-harm. Staff will be trained and supervised to deliver one of three specially adapted therapies: psychodynamic interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy. Participants allocated to the intervention will receive one of the adapted therapies according to therapist allocation for up to 6 months via 12 weekly, one to one, 45-50-min sessions. The primary outcome is quality of life measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure at 12 months post-randomisation. Secondary outcomes include suicidal intent, depression and cost-effectiveness. Data are collected using hospital attendance records and online/postal/telephone questionnaires at 6 and 12 months post-randomisation, with resource use additionally collected at 3 and 9 months., Discussion: This protocol outlines a randomised controlled trial to investigate whether modified therapies are cost-effective and improve quality of life for people who repeatedly self-harm. Few interventions are proven to be deliverable in the NHS for this population. This study is strengthened by the involvement of qualified mental health workers experienced in managing risk as therapists., Trial Registration: Registered on August 03, 2021. IRAS number: 297939. ISRCTN: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN73357210 . REC reference: 21/EE/0145., Sponsor: University of Leeds., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: FM and NK were members of the NICE self-harm guideline development committee 2022. NK was topic expert for the guideline. NK is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group, DHSC.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is deliberate self-inflicted injury to one's own body without suicidal intent. There is a high prevalence of NSSI among adolescents, especially in adolescents with history of adverse childhood events and intense reactive emotions. Pediatricians are commonly the first point of contact for adolescents and preadolescents with mental health concerns, and knowledge of how to elicit and respond to reports of NSSI are critical in identifying, supporting, and making appropriate referrals to behavioral health providers. Appropriate referrals include a psychiatric assessment by a child and adolescent psychiatrist and licensed therapist. Therapy targets NSSI by identifying the function of the behavior for the patient and finding ways to obtain that function safely using coping skills. Pediatricians should consider their role in setting the tone for families to engage in productive mental health treatment, with the goal of having the adolescent and caregiver work collaboratively to use healthy coping skills. [ Pediatr Ann . 2024;53(8):e280-e282.] .

Self-harming behaviours can include cutting the skin, ligaturing and taking overdoses. These actions can result in infection, blood loss, or even death. A young person's risk of dying by suicide increases if they engage in self-harm. Self-help empowers people to utilise different coping strategies and implement life changes without reliance on a clinical intervention, "helping people to help themselves". Self-help toolkits contain a variety of items that are selected by the person to help them manage the urge to self-harm. The items included sensory objects, distractions, prompts to seek help and creative prompts such as colouring books and pens and personal items that trigger positive memories. AMED, EMBASE, APA Psycinfo and MEDLINE were searched with no language restriction or date restriction. Of the 368 studies screened, 13 met the inclusion criteria. The studies were mainly small scale or case studies pertaining to the use of self-help toolkits or similar. They described the need for a flexible and/or individualised approach to self-help toolkits. Abstracts and studies were screened separately by two members of the research team for inclusion. Qualitative data was analysed using Grounded Theory. Nine themes were identified: Creativity, Hope, Social contact/help seeking, calming/relaxing, sensory items, reflection, distractions, therapeutic prompts and emotional release. Self-efficacy and self-awareness were the two main mechanisms identified. Self-help toolkits were found to be acceptable and helpful, but the limited evidence base means their efficacy for reducing self-harm episodes has not been established.

Competing Interests: The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as the deliberate destruction of one's bodily tissue without suicidal intent. Mindfulness practice is commonly incorporated into universities' stress management programming and may benefit students with a history of NSSI. However, recent findings suggest that these students may respond differentially to specific types of mindfulness practice (i.e., formal vs. informal practice). The present study qualitatively explored the acceptability of different types of mindfulness practice among university students with a history of NSSI. University students with a recent history of NSSI ( n = 36) completed a semistructured interview following a brief mindfulness practice (i.e., either a formal body scan, formal sitting meditation, or informal practice). Reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed five key themes. First, there appeared to be general misconceptions regarding what constitutes mindfulness practice (Theme 1). Nevertheless, within the present study, all mindfulness practices were carried out with relative ease (Theme 2). Notably, favorable physical and psychological experiences were predominant in response to informal practice (Theme 3). Preferences regarding level of guidance were more mixed in response to formal versus informal practice (Theme 4). Finally, only informal practice inspired feelings of delight and surprise following practice (Theme 5). Informal mindfulness practice is deemed highly acceptable by university students with a history of NSSI and clinicians should strongly consider emphasizing it in mindfulness-based interventions offered to these students, to provide them with the best opportunity to build a regular mindfulness practice and develop their emotion regulation abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: The incidence of self-harm and suicidal behaviour in adolescents is increasing. Considering the great impact in this population, an actualization of the evidence of those psychological treatment's excellence for suicidal behaviour. Thus, the aim of this paper is to compile the available evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy and dialectical behavioural therapy in preventing self-harm and suicidal behaviour in adolescents., Methods: A umbrella review was carried out, different databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Psyinfo, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar) were consulted. The 16-item measurement tool to assess systematic reviews-2 (AMSTAR-2) were performed by two independent reviewers and any discrepancies were resolved by consensus. The Rayyan-Qatar Computing Research Institute was used for the screening process., Results: Nine systematic reviews were included. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy appears to reduce the incidence of suicide-related events compared with treatment as usual, compared to usual treatment (which usually consists of drugs and talk therapy) especially when combined with fluoxetine. Dialectical behavioural therapy seems to be associated with a reduction in suicidal ideation and self-harm., Conclusions: Although the results found show results with high heterogeneity. The evidence on cognitive behavioural therapy and dialectical behavioural therapy for suicide prevention, self-harm and suicide ideation in adolescents seems to show positive results. Considering, the special population and great impact, further research is needed and comparable studies should be sought that allow to set up robust recommendations.

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents significantly increased, along with the number of visits to emergency departments due to suicidality and/or suicide attempts. Relatedly, health care workers experienced significant burnout and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder during this time. However, the corresponding impact on psychiatric inpatient treatment has not yet been researched. We hypothesized that during the pandemic, adolescents hospitalized in an acute care psychiatric inpatient unit had increased incidents of suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injurious behaviors and of aggressive behaviors toward others, resulting in greater use of constant observation and restraints. Method: This study was a retrospective chart review based on electronic medical record data examining use of restraints and constant observation one year before the pandemic (March 2019 to February 2020) and 1 year following the onset of the pandemic (March 2020 to February 2021) in an acute-care adolescent (12 to 17 years old) psychiatric inpatient unit. Results: There were 571 admissions during the year before the pandemic and 500 admissions during the pandemic. The number of patients who were restrained ( χ 2 = 7.86, p = 0.005), number of patients who were placed on constant observation ( χ 2 = 13.41, p < 0.001 ), and number of constant observation orders per patient ( χ 2 = 91.90, p < 0.001 ) were all significantly greater during the pandemic. Conclusion: Psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents during the pandemic received more intensive interventions such as restraints and constant observation. Severe patient psychopathology and staff shortages, as well as limitations of and decreases to the dialectical behavior therapy program, may have been the contributing factor.

Background: Brief Admission by self-referral (BA) is a crisis-management intervention standardized for individuals with self-harm at risk of suicide. We analyzed its health-economic consequences., Materials and Methods: BA plus treatment as usual (TAU) was compared with TAU alone in a 12-month randomized controlled trial with 117 participants regarding costs for hospital admissions, coercive measures, emergency care and health outcomes (quality-adjusted life years; QALYs). Participants were followed from 12 months before baseline to up to five years after., Results: Over one year BA was associated with a mean annual cost reduction of 4800 or incremental cost of 4600 euros, depending on bed occupancy assumption. Cost-savings were greatest for individuals with >180 admission days in the year before baseline. In terms of health outcomes BA was associated with a QALY gain of 0.078. Uncertainty analyses indicated a significant QALY gain and ambiguity in costs, resulting in BA either dominating TAU or costing 59 000 euros per gained QALY., Conclusion: BA is likely to produce QALY gains for individuals living with self-harm and suicidality. Cost-effectiveness depends on targeting high-need individuals and comparable bed utilization between BA and other psychiatric admissions. Future research should elaborate the explanatory factors for individual variations in the usage and benefit of BA.

Purpose: Brief Admission by self-referral (BA) is a standardized crisis-management intervention for individuals with self-harm and risk for suicide. This study explored relatives' experiences of BA. Relatives' perspectives may contribute to an increased understanding of the effects of BA given the relatives' role as support and informal caregivers as well as being co-sufferers., Methods: Fourteen relatives to adults with access to BA within one Swedish region participated in focus groups analysed with reflexive thematic analysis., Results: We generated themes evolving around three meaning-based concepts: access (A low threshold to a safe back-up is crucial and obstacles may easily break faith), independence (Trust in their ability with care and respect), and recovery (The rest and relational recovery we all get are needed and invaluable)., Conclusions: BA brings considerable value to users and relatives, by supporting them to take care of themselves and each other. Communication and involvement of relatives may enhance users' ability to overcome obstacles to accessing BA. Implementation and adherence may be strengthened by supervision of BA staff and education of emergency care staff. Resources are needed to improve access. Mapping hurdles to BA, support through peers and targeted psychoeducation may improve recovery for BA users and their relatives.

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental illness, with high rates of co-morbid depression and suicidality. Despite the importance of optimizing treatment in BPD, little is known about how neural processes relate to individual treatment response. This study examines how baseline regional brain blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task of emotion regulation is related to treatment response following a six-month randomized clinical trial of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) treatment., Methods: Unmedicated females with BPD (N = 37), with recent suicidal behavior or self-injury, underwent an fMRI task in which negative personal memories were presented and they were asked to distance (i.e., downregulate their emotional response) or immerse (i.e., experience emotions freely). Patients were then randomized to DBT (N = 16) or SSRI (N = 21) treatment, with baseline and post-treatment depression and BPD severity assessed., Results: BOLD activity in prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and insula was associated with distancing. Baseline BOLD during distancing in dorsolateral, ventrolateral, and orbital prefrontal cortex (dlPFC, vlPFC, OFC) differentially predicted depression response across treatment groups, with higher activity predicting better response in the SSRI group, and lower activity predicting better response in the DBT group., Limitations: All female samples., Discussion: Findings indicate that greater prefrontal engagement during emotion regulation may predict more antidepressant benefit from SSRIs, whereas lower engagement may predict better response to DBT. These results suggest different mechanisms of action for SSRI and DBT treatment, and this may allow fMRI to guide individualized treatment selection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest JJM and BHS receive royalties from the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene for commercial use of the C-SSRS. CAM, NS, BSB, and KNO have no conflicts to report. The design, preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript as well as the decision to submit the manuscript for publication was entirely done by the authors CAM, NS, BSB, KNO, JJM, and BHS., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To explore healthcare practitioners' views on management practices of self-harm in older adults., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare practitioners, including consultant psychiatrists, general practitioners, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, clinical nurse specialists and social workers. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants in the Republic of Ireland ensuring diverse perspectives of healthcare practitioners were included. Healthcare practitioners were recruited advertising via professional and clinical research networks, social media, and snowballing methods. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis., Results: We conducted interviews with 20 healthcare practitioners from April to July 2023. Three main themes were generated: first, a perceived greater risk of suicide, and increased awareness of complexity in older adults' self-harm presentations. Second, integrated care as an avenue for improving the management of self-harm in older adults. Third, the importance of safety planning in risk assessments of older adults., Conclusions: Healthcare practitioners viewed self-harm in older adults as complex, challenging, and associated with high suicide risk, approaching patients with care and caution. The need for integrated support and improved collaboration between relevant healthcare practitioners was identified. Suggestions were made for primary care having a lead role in identifying and managing older adults after self-harm. Increased mental health promotion and awareness of mental health and self-harm in this age group would help address current stigma and shame., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Despite the efficacy of behavioral interventions, resurgence of challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury) following successful treatment can still occur. Applied work has focused on identifying treatment-related variables thought to affect the occurrence and magnitude of resurgence. The current study describes the relation between several variables (i.e., phase duration, response rates in baseline and treatment, obtained rates of reinforcement, downshift in reinforcement step size) and resurgence in a retrospective consecutive controlled case series of 46 treatment applications for challenging behavior conducted in an inpatient setting. Only the downshift in reinforcement (e.g., schedule-thinning) step size was correlated with the magnitude of resurgence. These results are consistent with recent findings suggesting that treatment duration and other factors have inconsistent effects on resurgence of challenging behavior., (© 2024 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Background: People who present to the emergency department with self-harm and co-occurring substance use problems often have difficulty accessing effective care. Aims: To develop a brief psychosocial intervention for this population, which would be suitable for testing in a future randomized controlled trial. Methods: A modified Delphi method was used. A 34-item, 3-round, online Delphi survey was informed by a literature review and stakeholder telephone discussions ( n = 17). Two panels consisting of people with lived experience (PWLE: n = 15) and people with occupational experience (PWOE: n = 21) participated in the survey. The threshold for consensus was a pooled agreement rate across the two panels of 80% or more. Results: Expert consensus was achieved for 22 items. The new intervention consists of weekly follow-up phone calls for up to 1 month, delivered by Liaison Psychiatry practitioners, in which both self-harm and substance use problems are explored and addressed, and patients are supported in accessing community services. Limitations: Some stakeholder ideas regarding intervention components could not be included as survey options due to anticipated difficulties with implementation. Conclusions: The key elements of a brief psychosocial intervention for self-harm and co-occurring substance use problems have been agreed. Feasibility testing is currently underway.

Excoriation disorder (ED) is defined as compulsive skin picking that results in skin damage and emotional distress. Optimal management of ED includes individualized treatment plans consisting of psychotherapies, behavioral and pharmacologic interventions. Compared with younger populations, older adults are at increased risk for poor outcomes, such as infection and hospitalization, and require unique management considerations. Risk factors that contribute to disease burden include age-related changes to the skin and underlying medical and psychiatric comorbidities. A literature review was conducted on ED yielding limited evidence exclusive to older adults. The authors suggest a therapeutic approach to ED in older adults based on available evidence and experience from inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings. Finally, opportunities for future research are highlighted., (Copyright © 2024 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sexuality and gender minoritised (SGM) adolescents are at increased risk of self-injury and suicide, and experience barriers to accessing mental health support. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment for self-injury and emotion dysregulation in adolescent populations, but few studies have published outcomes of DBT for SGM young people., Aims: This study aimed to investigate treatment outcomes and completion for SGM adolescents and their cisgender and heterosexual peers, in the National & Specialist CAMHS, DBT service (UK)., Method: Treatment completion, and opting out before and during treatment were examined for sexual and gender identity groups, as well as changes by the end of treatment in emotion dysregulation, self-injury, in-patient bed-days, emergency department attendances, and borderline personality disorder, depression and anxiety symptoms., Results: SGM adolescents were over-represented in this service, even after considering their increased risk for self-injury. No statistically significant differences were found for treatment completion between the sexual orientation and gender identity groups, although there were patterns indicating possible lower treatment uptake and completion that warrant further investigation. Clinical outcomes for treatment-completers showed improvement by the end of DBT for each group, with few exceptions., Discussion: These results are from relatively small subsamples, and it was not possible to separate by sex assigned at birth. Findings should be treated tentatively and as early indications of effect sizes to inform future studies. This study suggests that DBT could be a useful treatment for SGM adolescents in a highly specialist treatment setting.

Background: Self-harm and suicidal ideation are prevalent among adolescents, cause physical and psychosocial disability, and have potentially life-threatening consequences. Dialectical behavioral therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention for reducing self-harm. However, few studies have investigated the effectiveness of DBT-A when delivered in routine clinical practice., Methods: A follow-up cohort study, based on data from a quality assessment register of DBT-A in child and adolescent mental health services including seven outpatient clinics. Inclusion criteria were ongoing or a history of self-harming behavior the last 6 months; current suicidal behavior; at least 3 criteria of DSM-IV Borderline personality disorder (BPD), or at least the self-destruction criterion of DSM-IV BPD, in addition to minimum 2 subthreshold criteria; and fluency in Norwegian. Participants received 20 weeks of DBT-A consisting of multifamily skills training groups and individual therapy sessions. Outcomes from 41 participants included frequency of self-harm, suicide attempts and hospitalizations caused by self-harm or suicide attempts, assessed pre-, during, and post-treatment by self-report and reviews of the patient's medical records. Suicidal ideation, urge to self-harm and perceived feelings of happiness and sadness were assessed by the patients' diary cards at week 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 of the treatment program., Results: Participants attended an average of 17.9 (SD = 4.7) individual sessions, 14.7 (SD = 3.4) group-based skills training sessions and 4.6 (SD = 4.1) brief intersession telephone consultations. Moderate to large within-group effect sizes (ES) were found in self-harm from pre-treatment to 1-5 weeks (d = 0.64), 6-10 weeks (d = 0.84), 11-15 weeks (d = 0.99), 16-20 weeks (d = 1.26) and post-treatment (d = 1.68). Nine participants were admitted to hospitalization during DBT-A, whereas five had attempted suicide, but no suicides were completed. No statistically significant changes were found in suicidal ideation, urge to self-harm or perceived feelings of happiness or sadness from pre to post treatment., Conclusion: The findings of the current study are promising as the participants reported considerably reduced self-harm behavior after DBT-A treatment in a child and adolescent mental health outpatient setting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In the United Kingdom, the prevalence of children and young people (CYP) accessing acute paediatric inpatient care with mental health problems is increasing, with self-harm and eating disorders particularly prevalent. This study evaluated CYP experiences of being in receipt of acute paediatric inpatient care following either self-harm or crisis stemming from an eating disorder to inform domains for a person-centred outcome measure (PCOM). A series of stakeholder engagement events were conducted between April and July 2015 where creative approaches were used to explore stakeholder experiences of care and to identify outcome domains that were subsequently prioritised using a Nominal Group Technique. Data were analysed using inductive thematic approach, with significance scores calculated for domain statements. Ninety-six stakeholders (15 CYP, eight parents and carers, and 73 professionals) participated. Findings showed five priority PCOM domains: privacy and surveillance; holistic care; making choices, appropriate communication; working together to achieve care goals; and respect and empowerment. This single centre evaluation highlights the need for a PCOM to be developed for this patient group that comprehensively reflects stakeholders' expectations in order to inform improvements to quality of acute paediatric care., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr Joseph Manning is currently funded through HEE NIHR ICA Clinical Lectureship and therefore the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Dr Joanne Cooper is employed part-time by NHS England and NHS Improvement; therefore, the views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) presents an increasingly prevalent problem for young people; however, there remains a scarce evidence base for effective, scalable treatments for adolescents. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, cognitive analytic therapy (CAT)-informed intervention for young people who engage in NSSI (CATCH-Y)., Methods: A case series design recruited 13 young people who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria to participate in the five-session intervention. Eligible participants were aged 13-17 years (M = 15.15, SD = 1.28) and had engaged in NSSI at least once in the previous 6 months. Feasibility and acceptability were measured via recruitment, retention, qualitative feedback and missing data. The secondary outcome measures of personal recovery and motivation were administered pre- and post-assessment, with measures of depressive symptoms and urges to self-injure., Results: The intervention was found to be largely feasible and acceptable with high rates of recruitment, retention and pre-/post-assessment data completeness. Measures showed preliminary support for positive change in rates of NSSI, urges to self-harm, low mood and personal recovery, although results were mixed. Completion rates for remote assessments were low., Conclusions: The findings of this study support further evaluation of the CATCH-Y intervention on a larger scale. In-person assessments may be preferable to remote to ensure good completion rates., (© 2024 The Authors. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Acne excoriée (AE) is a skin picking disorder (SPD) within the group of obsessive compulsive (OCD) and related disorders characterized by the compulsive manipulation of acne lesions. AE typically appears in females during adolescence or young adulthood and can cause significant disfigurement and psychosocial impairment. This disorder is under-recognized due to patient discomfort to disclose excoriation habits or lack of behavior awareness. It is imperative that dermatologists accurately diagnose and treat this disorder to minimize long-term damage to the skin. This review aims to provide an overview of the diagnosis and treatment options for AE., (© 2023 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the impact of community mental health (CMH) care following index hospital-treated intentional self-harm (ISH) on all-cause mortality. A secondary aim was to describe patterns of CMH care surrounding index hospital-treated ISH., Design: A longitudinal whole-of-population record linkage study was conducted (2014-2019), with index ISH hospitalization (Emergency Department and/or hospital admissions) linked to all available hospital, deaths/cause of death, and CMH data., Setting: Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW) comprised approximately 7.7 million people during the study period. CMH services are provided statewide, to assess and treat non-admitted patients, including post-discharge review., Participants: Individuals with an index hospital presentation in NSW of ISH during the study period, aged 45 years or older., Intervention: CMH care within 14 days from index, versus not., Measurements: Cox-proportionate hazards regression analysis evaluated all-cause mortality risk, adjusted for relevant covariates., Results: Totally, 24,544 persons aged 45 years or older experienced a nonfatal hospital-treated ISH diagnosis between 2014 and 2019. CMH care was received by 56% within 14 days from index. Survival analysis demonstrated this was associated with 34% lower risk of death, adjusted for age, sex, marital status, index diagnosis, and 14-day hospital readmission (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58, 0.74, p < 0.001). Older males and chronic injury conveyed significantly greater risk of death overall., Conclusions: CMH care within 14 days of index presentation for self-harm may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality. Greater effort is needed to engage older males presenting for self-harm in ongoing community mental health care.

Background: Recent findings suggest that brief dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder is effective for reducing self-harm, but it remains unknown which patients are likely to improve in brief v. 12 months of DBT. Research is needed to identify patient characteristics that moderate outcomes. Here, we characterized changes in cognition across brief DBT (DBT-6) v. a standard 12-month course (DBT-12) and examined whether cognition predicted self-harm outcomes in each arm., Methods: In this secondary analysis of 240 participants in the FASTER study (NCT02387736), cognitive measures were administered at pre-treatment, after 6 months, and at 12 months. Self-harm was assessed from pre-treatment to 2-year follow-up. Multilevel models characterized changes in cognition across treatment. Generalized estimating equations examined whether pre-treatment cognitive performance predicted self-harm outcomes in each arm., Results: Cognitive performance improved in both arms after 6 months of treatment, with no between-arm differences at 12-months. Pre-treatment inhibitory control was associated with different self-harm outcomes in DBT-6 v. DBT-12. For participants with average inhibitory control, self-harm outcomes were significantly better when assigned to DBT-12, relative to DBT-6, at 9-18 months after initiating treatment. In contrast, participants with poor inhibitory control showed better self-harm outcomes when assigned to brief DBT-6 v. DBT-12, at 12-24 months after initiating treatment., Conclusions: This work represents an initial step toward an improved understanding of patient profiles that are best suited to briefer v. standard 12 months of DBT, but observed effects should be replicated in a waitlist-controlled study to confirm that they were treatment-specific.

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report chronic, severe self-hatred. It is frequently experienced as immutable, seen as a barrier to recovery, and is associated with risk for self-injury and suicide attempts. Yet self-hatred remains a poorly understood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated presentation of BPD. In this concept article and review, we describe the nature of self-hatred in BPD and related disorders, propose a theory as to the development of self-hatred in BPD, review the assessments of and interventions for self-hatred, and consider next steps in the research, assessment, and treatment of self-hatred in BPD. Through increased awareness, understanding, and measures of self-hatred in BPD, new treatment paradigms can be developed to ensure more comprehensive recovery.

Background: We investigated disparities in the clinical management of self-harm following hospital presentation with self-harm according to level of socio-economic deprivation (SED) in England., Methods: 108 092 presentations to hospitals (by 57 306 individuals) after self-harm in the Multicenter Study of Self-harm spanning 17 years. Area-level SED was based on the English Index of Multiple Deprivation. Information about indicators of clinical care was obtained from each hospital's self-harm monitoring systems. We assessed the associations of SED with indicators of care using mixed effect models., Results: Controlling for confounders, psychosocial assessment and admission to a general medical ward were less likely for presentations by patients living in more deprived areas relative to presentations by patients from the least deprived areas. Referral for outpatient mental health care was less likely for presentations by patients from the two most deprived localities (most deprived: adjusted odd ratio [aOR] 0.77, 95% CI 0.71-0.83, p < 0.0001; 2nd most deprived: aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.74-0.87, p < 0.0001). Referral to substance use services and 'other' services increased with increased SED. Overall, referral for aftercare was less likely following presentations by patients living in the two most deprived areas (most deprived: aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.92, p < 0.0001; 2nd most deprived: aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.94, p = 0.001)., Conclusions: SED is associated with differential care for patients who self-harm in England. Inequalities in care may exacerbate the risk of adverse outcomes in this disadvantaged population. Further work is needed to understand the reasons for these differences and ways of providing more equitable care.

Introduction: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a disorder of pervasive emotion dysregulation associated with high rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB). Understanding specific emotion states in relation to SITB is important for effective intervention., Methods: The current study examined whether, and how, the specific emotion of shame contributes to suicide ideation and urges to engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) both directly, and indirectly via anger, among individuals with BPD. Participants (N = 100) were enrolled in a 6-month comprehensive dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program and provided daily ratings of shame, anger, suicide ideation, and urges for NSSI., Results: We found that higher daily ratings of shame and anger were directly associated with higher same-day ratings of both suicidal ideation and urges for NSSI. Furthermore, anger partially mediated the relationships between shame and both suicidal ideation and urges for NSSI., Conclusion: These findings highlight shame and anger as potential antecedents of SITB among individuals with BPD. Clinical approaches, such as DBT, that include personalized, ongoing, clinical assessment of these specific affective states may be particularly important for treatment of SITB., (© 2024 The Authors. Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Suicidology.)

Background: While skin picking disorder remains relatively common, it often does not present to psychiatry until significant morbidity or comorbidities are reached. It is described as recurrent picking of skin leading to skin lesions, with repeated attempts to decrease or stop skin picking. It is also often associated with significant distress or functional impairment. There has been limited research in this specific disorder and treatment efficacy has often been poor in severe cases. For various reasons, only a small amount of patients with this disorder present to care, and often to a multidisciplinary team prior to psychiatry., Case Presentation: This is a case presentation of a 44 year old male with a complex past psychiatric history, ultimately untreated for an underlying skin picking disorder. He presented for urgent medical care following a self-inflicted wound through the central frontal bone and dura over the course of 2 years. He was treated with current psychiatric evidence based medicine, including an SSRI, antipsychotic augmentation and NAC, along with habit reversal techniques during the admission. He was concurrently managed with the neurosurgery team, initially with a poor prognosis due to the severity of his presentation. He required debriding of the devitalized bone within the adjacent brain to cover the dural defect, IV antibiotics for 6 weeks, and an initial skin graft on his initial admission., Conclusions: This case in particular highlighted the importance of urgent treatment via a multidisciplinary approach to avoid mortality. It highlights the importance of increasing awareness about the disorder and that treatment with SSRI's, along with antipsychotic and NAC adjuncts remains the mainstay of acute treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Previous studies have shown that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy in patients with depression may improve depression symptoms and response to antidepressant therapy. We investigated the association between PAP therapy adherence, self-harm events, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and costs over 2 years in a national sample of patients with pre-existing depression and newly diagnosed comorbid OSA., Methods: Administrative claims data were linked to objective PAP therapy usage. Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to compare outcomes over 2 years across PAP adherence levels. The predicted numbers of emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalizations by adherence level were assessed using risk-adjusted generalized linear models., Results: 37,459 patients were included. Relative to non-adherent patients, consistently adherent patients had fewer self-harm events (0.04 vs 0.05, p < 0.001) after 1 year, and significantly (all p < 0.001) fewer ER visits (0.66 vs 0.86) and all-cause hospitalizations (0.13 vs 0.17), and lower total ($11,847 vs $11,955), inpatient hospitalization ($1634 vs $2274), and ER visit ($760 vs $1006) costs per patient in the second year of PAP therapy. Consistently adherent patients showed lower risk for hospitalizations and ER visits., Limitations: Using observational claims data, we were unable to assess clinical characteristics including sleep, sleepiness, and daytime symptoms, or important social determinants of health. We were limited in assessing care received outside of the included health plans., Conclusion: Consistent adherence to PAP therapy over 2 years was associated with improved HCRU outcomes for patients with pre-existing depression newly diagnosed with comorbid OSA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest EMW's institution has received research support from the AASM Foundation, Department of Defense, Merck, ResMed, and the ResMed Foundation. EMW has served as a scientific consultant to DayZz, Eisai, EnsoData, Idorsia, Merck, Nox Health, Purdue, ResMed, and Primasun, and is an equity shareholder in WellTap. AM is funded by NIH. He reports income related to medical education from Livanova, Jazz, Zoll and Eli Lilly. ResMed provided a philanthropic donation to UC San Diego, but Dr. Malhotra has not received personal income from ResMed or medXcloud. PAC has an appointment to an endowed academic Chair at the University of Sydney that was established from ResMed funding, has received research support from ResMed and SomnoMed, and is a consultant to ResMed, SomnoMed, Signifier Medical Technologies, Bayer, and Sunrise Medical. JLP is supported by the French National Research Agency in the framework of the Investissements d'Avenir program [Grant ANR-15-IDEX-02] and the e-Health and Integrated Care and Trajectories Medicine and MIAI Artificial Intelligence chairs of excellence from the Grenoble Alpes University Foundation. He has received lecture fees or conference traveling grants from ResMed, Philips, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Agiradom, and Bioprojet. KVC, RBD, KLS are all employees of ResMed. medXcloud is an academic-industry collaboration involving employees and consultants of ResMed and global academic thought leaders in the fields of sleep and respiratory medicine. Representatives of the study sponsor were involved in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, writing of the report, and in the decision to submit the paper for publication. Emerson Wickwire had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are often the first point of contact for people with self-harm; however, they do not always receive optimal care. The study objective was to examine the perspectives of ED staff who respond to self-harm presentations, perceived barriers to providing optimal, guideline-concordant care, and staff's familiarity with existing guidelines., Methods: An online cross-sectional survey comprising purpose-designed questions concerning self-harm in the ED was completed by 131 staff (83.2% nurses) from two hospitals in Victoria, Australia. Survey results were analysed using Stata version 16 and frequencies and percentages were calculated., Results: Respondents reported knowledge of how to appropriately manage a person presenting with self-harm. However, lack of space (62.3%) and time (78.7%) to conduct the appropriate assessments, lack of self-harm training (71.8%), and limited awareness of or access to guidelines and recommendations for self-harm management within the ED (63.6%), were identified as primary barriers to their ability to appropriately manage these presenters., Conclusions: Improvements to the ED environment and processes, as well as the provision of regular self-harm specific education and training for all ED staff are needed. Implementation of best-practice standards should prioritise guideline-concordant care, with a particular focus on the education needs of nursing staff., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This study was conducted in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Renewal is a relapse phenomenon that refers to the recurrence of a previously reduced behavior following a change in stimulus conditions. Muething et al. (2022) examined the phenomenology of renewal among individuals with automatically maintained challenging behavior treated at an outpatient clinic. We replicated their findings by retrospectively examining renewal across various topographies of automatically maintained behavior treated at an inpatient hospital, and we extended their work by also examining differences across subtypes of automatically maintained self-injurious behavior. The prevalence of renewal was comparable to that observed by Muething et al., supporting the notion that automatically maintained challenging behavior is susceptible to relapse phenomena. Furthermore, renewal was twice as likely to occur for individuals with Subtype 2 versus Subtype 1 self-injurious behavior, providing additional evidence of behavioral differentiation between subtypes. Our findings suggest that even after apparent stability in treatment, practitioners should remain vigilant for the recurrence of automatically maintained behavior during generalization., (© 2024 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB).)

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth, and the emergency department (ED) serves as the primary point of healthcare contact for many with suicidal ideation. As suicide-related presentations to the ED continue to rise, the implementation of time- and cost-effective care pathways becomes ever more critical. Evidence-based tools for the identification and stratification of suicide risk can aid in clinical decision-making and care linkage. This issue reviews best practices for suicide risk assessment of youth to guide evaluation, management, and disposition planning within the ED setting.

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs), including suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury, are highly prevalent among adolescents. Identifying adolescents at risk for SITBs relies on their disclosure, and these disclosures commonly occur in therapy context. Moreover, therapists often breach confidentiality to inform adolescents' parent or guardian when they disclose SITBs. Research has explored rates of and barriers to disclosure among adolescents, yet no studies have examined adolescents' experiences of disclosure in the therapy context. Further, no studies have examined adolescents' experiences when their parents are then informed. In this study, we examined qualitative responses from 1495 adolescents who had experienced a SITB disclosure in the therapy context. Qualitative questions included asking adolescents to describe how the SITB disclosure occurred, how their parents were informed, and their parents' reactions. Using open and axial coding, several themes emerged. Adolescents described therapist breaches of confidentiality as collaborative, noncollaborative, or unclear. Adolescents described their parents' affective responses, communication about SITBs, validating and invalidating responses, treatment-oriented responses, and ways that parents restricted their access to people, places, and activities. Findings have implications for the development of clinical guidelines when adolescents disclose SITBs in therapy and highlight areas for future research in adolescent SITB disclosure., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) among children and youth with developmental disabilities has not diminished in prevalence despite the availability of effective interventions, and the impact on quality of life for people and their families is devastating. The current meta-analysis reviews SIB intervention research between 2011 and 2021 using single-case experimental designs with children and youth up to 21 years old and provides a quantitative synthesis of data from high-quality studies including moderator analyses to determine effects of participant and study characteristics on intervention outcomes. Encouraging findings include a high level of effectiveness across studies in the decrease of SIB (Tau- U  = -0.90) and increase of positive behavior (Tau- U  = 0.73), as well as an increase in studies (relative to prior reviews) reporting intervention fidelity, generalization, maintenance, and social validity. However, our findings shed limited light on potential moderating variables in the development of interventions for children and youth who exhibit SIB. Of the potential moderators of intervention effects, only implementer (researcher/therapist vs. parent/caregiver) and setting (clinic vs. home) were significantly associated with improved outcomes. We discuss the need for more robust involvement of natural communities of implementers in SIB intervention research to better equip them to effectively and sustainably meet the needs of people they care for. We also discuss the importance of creating systems enabling broad access for children with SIB to effective interventions in service of reducing burden for people, families, and society over time., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.