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Correlates and Short-Term Course of Self-Poisoning in Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Michael Kerfoot ,
Elizabeth Dyer ,
Val Harrington ,
Adrine Woodham  and
Richard Harrington
Michael Kerfoot*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester
Elizabeth Dyer
Affiliation:
Department of Child Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester
Val Harrington
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester
Adrine Woodham
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester
Richard Harrington
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester
*
Professor Richard Harrington, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, Manchester M27 4HA. Fax: 0161 728 2294
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Abstract

Background

The features of adolescents who had taken an overdose were assessed to determine the focus for a treatment trial.

Method

Overdose cases were compared with psychiatric and community controls who had not taken an overdose in respect of mental disorders and family background.

Results

Overdose cases had high rates of major depression, but most of them recovered from depression within six weeks of the overdose. There was a specific association between taking an overdose and family dysfunction.

Conclusions

Family dysfunction could be a useful focus in a clinical trial of the aftercare of adolescents who have taken an overdose.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 168 , Issue 1 , January 1996 , pp. 38 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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