Effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions targeted at adolescents with suicidal behaviors: An integrative literature review

Abstract

Background: The prevention of recurrent suicidal behaviors in adolescents is crucial given their size and repetitive nature, and the increased risk of death by suicide. Objectives: To identify the current and available scientific evidence on the psychotherapeutic interventions targeted at adolescents with suicidal behaviors and to assess the effectiveness of these interventions at the level of suicidal ideation, depression, and repetition of suicidal behavior. Methodology: Integrative literature review, through research in online bibliographic databases, with the selected search descriptors, during the publication period from January 2007 to December 2016, in English, with available references and full-text articles. Results: Of a total of 1,847 papers found we included 10 studies on adolescents with suicidal behavior, targets of psychotherapeutic intervention, with positive results in cognitive-behavioral intervention with psychoeducation for adolescents and their families, community intervention, dialectical-behavioral therapy, and mentalization-based therapy at the level of the defined outcomes. Conclusion: We identified psychotherapeutic interventions with effectiveness, but the heterogeneity of the studies requires thoughtful analysis and comparison of evaluated samples, methodologies, and interventions.