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An Update on the Latest Treatment Approaches with Suicidal Adolescents

  • Depressive Disorders (K Cullen, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To summarize the literature on the treatment of suicidal adolescents in order to determine the psychotherapy approach with the strongest evidence as well as the core treatment techniques that cut across therapies.

Recent Findings

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has the strongest evidence base of any current treatment approach for suicidal adolescents, but it is also the most time intensive and expensive. Different variations of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and family therapy also have some limited evidence for efficacy. Although safety planning does not have stand-alone, empirical support to date with adolescents, safety planning is often integrated into the various therapies and has become part of standard care. Ketamine as a psychopharmacologic treatment is just beginning to be studied with suicidal adolescents.

Summary

Suicidal adolescents are a heterogeneous population presenting with varying levels of symptom severity that require clinicians to use flexible treatment protocols. Techniques used in DBT, and many CBT, protocols, including affect regulation, distress tolerance, and building interpersonal awareness and effectiveness skills, are typically core components of treatment. The use of digital technology to extend and enhance treatment of suicidal adolescents seems promising, but is just being tested. Other adjunctive interventions, such as positive affect enhancement, may also be useful additions to the treatment of suicidal adolescents but have limited evidence to date.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Anthony Spirito & Jennifer Wolff

  2. Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Margaret Webb & Christianne Esposito-Smythers

  3. Department of Psychology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Shayna Cheek

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  1. Anthony Spirito
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  2. Margaret Webb
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  3. Shayna Cheek
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  4. Jennifer Wolff
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  5. Christianne Esposito-Smythers
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Correspondence to Anthony Spirito.

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Spirito, A., Webb, M., Cheek, S. et al. An Update on the Latest Treatment Approaches with Suicidal Adolescents. Curr Treat Options Psych 8, 64–76 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-021-00239-x

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