TY - JOUR
T1 - Emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury disorder
T2 - A feasibility study
AU - Bjureberg, Johan
AU - Sahlin, Hanna
AU - Hellner, Clara
AU - Hedman-Lagerlöf, Erik
AU - Gratz, Kim L.
AU - Bjärehed, Jonas
AU - Jokinen, Jussi
AU - Tull, Matthew T.
AU - Ljótsson, Brjánn
PY - 2017/12/28
Y1 - 2017/12/28
N2 - Background: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious health risk behavior that forms the basis of a tentative diagnosis in DSM-5, NSSI Disorder (NSSID). To date, established treatments specific to NSSI or NSSID are scarce. As a first step in evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of a novel treatment for adolescents with NSSID, we conducted an open trial of emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents (ERITA): a 12-week, behavioral treatment aimed at directly targeting both NSSI and its proposed underlying mechanism of emotion regulation difficulties. Methods: Seventeen girls (aged 13-17; mean = 15.31) with NSSID were enrolled in a study adopting an uncontrolled open trial design with self-report and clinician-rated assessments of NSSI and other self-destructive behaviors, emotion regulation difficulties, borderline personality features, and global functioning administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Measures of NSSI and emotion regulation difficulties were also administered weekly during treatment. Results: Ratings of treatment credibility and expectancy and the treatment completion rate (88%) were satisfactory, and both therapeutic alliance and treatment attendance were strong. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed significant improvements associated with large effect sizes in past-month NSSI frequency, emotion regulation difficulties, self-destructive behaviors, and global functioning, as well as a medium effect size in past-month NSSI versatility, from pre- to post-treatment. Further, all of these improvements were either maintained or further improved upon at 6-month follow-up. Finally, change in emotion regulation difficulties mediated improvements in NSSI over the course of treatment. Conclusions: Results suggest the acceptability, feasibility, and utility of this treatment for adolescents with NSSID. Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov(NCT02326012, December 22, 2014, retrospectively registered).
AB - Background: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious health risk behavior that forms the basis of a tentative diagnosis in DSM-5, NSSI Disorder (NSSID). To date, established treatments specific to NSSI or NSSID are scarce. As a first step in evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of a novel treatment for adolescents with NSSID, we conducted an open trial of emotion regulation individual therapy for adolescents (ERITA): a 12-week, behavioral treatment aimed at directly targeting both NSSI and its proposed underlying mechanism of emotion regulation difficulties. Methods: Seventeen girls (aged 13-17; mean = 15.31) with NSSID were enrolled in a study adopting an uncontrolled open trial design with self-report and clinician-rated assessments of NSSI and other self-destructive behaviors, emotion regulation difficulties, borderline personality features, and global functioning administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Measures of NSSI and emotion regulation difficulties were also administered weekly during treatment. Results: Ratings of treatment credibility and expectancy and the treatment completion rate (88%) were satisfactory, and both therapeutic alliance and treatment attendance were strong. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed significant improvements associated with large effect sizes in past-month NSSI frequency, emotion regulation difficulties, self-destructive behaviors, and global functioning, as well as a medium effect size in past-month NSSI versatility, from pre- to post-treatment. Further, all of these improvements were either maintained or further improved upon at 6-month follow-up. Finally, change in emotion regulation difficulties mediated improvements in NSSI over the course of treatment. Conclusions: Results suggest the acceptability, feasibility, and utility of this treatment for adolescents with NSSID. Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov(NCT02326012, December 22, 2014, retrospectively registered).
KW - Emotion regulation
KW - Emotion regulation individual therapy
KW - Mediation
KW - Nonsuicidal self-injury disorder
KW - Self-harm
U2 - 10.1186/s12888-017-1527-4
DO - 10.1186/s12888-017-1527-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 29282024
AN - SCOPUS:85039904169
SN - 1471-244X
VL - 17
JO - BMC Psychiatry
JF - BMC Psychiatry
IS - 1
M1 - 411
ER -
