@article{ref1,
title="Mentalization-based treatment for self-harm in adolescents: a randomized controlledtrial",
journal="Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry",
year="2012",
author="Rossouw, Trudie I. and Fonagy, Peter",
volume="51",
number="12",
pages="1304-1313.e3",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: We examined whether mentalization-based treatment for adolescents (MBT-A) is more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) for adolescents who self-harm. METHOD: A total of 80 adolescents (85% female) consecutively presenting to mental health services with self-harm and comorbid depression were randomly allocated to either MBT-A or TAU. Adolescents were assessed for self-harm, risk-taking and mood at baseline and at 3-monthly intervals until 12 months. Their attachment style, mentalization ability and borderline personality disorder (BPD) features were also assessed at baseline and at the end of the 12-month treatment. RESULTS: MBT-A was more effective than TAU in reducing self-harm and depression. This superiority was explained by improved mentalization and reduced attachment avoidance and reflected improvement in emergent BPD symptoms and traits. CONCLUSIONS: MBT-A may be an effective intervention to reduce self-harm in adolescents. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: -The emergence of personality disorder traits in adolescents who deliberately self harm and the potential for using a mentalisation based treatment approach as an early intervention for such individuals: a randomised controlled trial; http://www.controlled-trials.com; ISRCTN95266816.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0890-8567",
doi="10.1016/j.jaac.2012.09.018",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2012.09.018"
}