Abstract
Background: Inpatient mental health units represent a significant component of acute adolescent care. Despite government policies emphasizing the importance of service user’s views, few studies have examined adolescents’ views of inpatient care (Gill et al., 2016). Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a cognitive behavioural treatment originally developed by Linehan (1993, pp. 4 for the treatment of chronically suicidal adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD) (MacPherson et al., 2013). Since then, DBT has been shown to be successful among adolescents in several settings. However, while there are studies to support that adolescents can achieve positive treatment outcomes following inpatient care, the mechanisms by which this is achieved have not been empirically established.
Objectives: Explore ‘how’ and ‘why’ a DBT-oriented intervention influences symptomatology at baseline, discharge and 6-month follow-up. Explore ‘how’ adolescent mental health stabilization is achieved.
Methods: This study uses a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods, involving semi-structured interviews with clients and caregivers on admission to the unit, prior to discharge and at 6-month follow-up. Clients completed self-report questionnaires at each interview.
Findings: Preliminary findings are presented in the context of adolescents’ views of their own symptomatology on admission and discharge from the inpatient unit. Caregiver’s views are also exhibited to explore treatment outcomes between both time points.
Conclusions: The findings of this study can enhance existing interventions so that improved outcomes are achieved, thus impacting future research initiatives. Findings can also identify the mechanisms by which mental health stabilization is achieved, thus optimizing inpatient treatment and guiding the organization of adolescent inpatient services.
Objectives: Explore ‘how’ and ‘why’ a DBT-oriented intervention influences symptomatology at baseline, discharge and 6-month follow-up. Explore ‘how’ adolescent mental health stabilization is achieved.
Methods: This study uses a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods, involving semi-structured interviews with clients and caregivers on admission to the unit, prior to discharge and at 6-month follow-up. Clients completed self-report questionnaires at each interview.
Findings: Preliminary findings are presented in the context of adolescents’ views of their own symptomatology on admission and discharge from the inpatient unit. Caregiver’s views are also exhibited to explore treatment outcomes between both time points.
Conclusions: The findings of this study can enhance existing interventions so that improved outcomes are achieved, thus impacting future research initiatives. Findings can also identify the mechanisms by which mental health stabilization is achieved, thus optimizing inpatient treatment and guiding the organization of adolescent inpatient services.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 123 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 51 |
| Issue number | S1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Congress 2017: Speaking our minds. Telling our stories - Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, Australia Duration: 30 Apr 2017 → 4 May 2017 https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/anpa/51/1_suppl (Published Abstracts) https://www.3dn.unsw.edu.au/event/ranzcp-2017-congress https://www.emedevents.com/c/medical-conferences-2017/royal-australian-and-new-zealand-college-of-psychiatrists-ranzcp-congress-2017 |
