A Pilot Study of a Short Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatment for Female Recurrent Suicide Attempters

Objective: To test the feasibility and effectiveness of a high-frequency short-term group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for recurrent suicide attempters. Method: CBT consisting of eight weekly and two “booster” sessions was given to nine female out-patients who had attempted suicide at least tw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of psychiatry in medicine 1996-01, Vol.26 (1), p.83-91
Main Authors: Hengeveld, Michiel W., Jonker, Daan J. L., Rooijmans, Harry G. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Borderline personality disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder - complications
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive Therapy
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Patient Dropouts
Personality disorders
Personality Disorders - complications
Pilot Projects
Psychotherapy, Group
Recurrence
Self destructive behavior
Suicide, Attempted - prevention & control
Suicide, Attempted - psychology
Suicides & suicide attempts
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Objective: To test the feasibility and effectiveness of a high-frequency short-term group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for recurrent suicide attempters. Method: CBT consisting of eight weekly and two “booster” sessions was given to nine female out-patients who had attempted suicide at least twice, seven of whom had a personality disorder. Results: Four patients dropped out during the treatment; either because they were “chronic repeaters” (i.e., had a history of more than 8 suicide attempts), or because the last suicide attempt was too long ago. Although the patients were generally positive about the content of the therapy, no effects on psychiatric symptomatology or repetition of suicidal behavior could be demonstrated. Conclusions: Based on this experience, and on the two controlled studies of CBT of recurrent suicide attempters published in the literature, it is tentatively concluded that it is difficult to organize a short-term high-frequency group treatment for recurrent suicide attempters with personality disorders, and that CBT may delay repetition of suicidal behavior, but that “major repeaters” (i.e., who made 4 or more suicide attempts) with a borderline personality disorder tend to stay major repeaters.
ISSN:0091-2174
1541-3527
DOI:10.2190/1Q2G-GN44-FATA-TT4J