| Increases in the number of adolescents engaging in self-injury in the United States have raised concerns regarding the availability and effectiveness of current treatment programs. The purpose of the study was to develop a self-harm intervention program for adolescent teens that exhibited non-suicidal self-injury behaviors. The intensive outpatient intervention group consisted of six specifically-designed weekly topics that incorporated methods and theories from cognitive behavioral therapy, problem solving therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, family therapy, and group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Results of this self-harm intervention program address the need for an effective intervention program specifically designed for adolescent teens who have been identified at risk for continued self-harm, and also demonstrate significant reduction or cessation of self-harm incidents 12 months post-treatment. Implications of a pilot study, ethical considerations, and suggestions for a needs assessment and evaluation of the program for future research is discussed. |
