Cognitive therapy for suicidal attempts

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A new study showed that adults who had attempted suicide were less likely to try it again after a program of cognitive therapy.
The value of cognitive therapy in treating depression is well known. Now a team at the University of Pennsylvania reveals that it has a specific value in treating those who have attempted suicide more than once.

A previous suicide attempt is a strong risk factor for a completed suicide. So those who have tried it are in urgent need of help. The researchers studied 120 adults who had attempted suicide and 60 of them received ten sessions of cognitive therapy. The others received usual care with tracking and referral services. After 18 months, 24 per cent in the cognitive therapy group had made another suicide attempt, compared to 41.6 per cent in the usual care group. Measures of depression and hopelessness were also significantly reduced in the cognitive therapy group.

Source
Journal of the American Medical Association 3rd August 2005 Volume 294 pages 563-570

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