Piloting of COPES: An Empirically Informed Psychosocial Intervention on an Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit

This study evaluated the feasibility and initial efficacy of an empirically informed psychosocial intervention on an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit.

Data were obtained for 463 adolescents 12-16 years of age on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Information collected included demographics, psychiatric diagnoses, length of inpatient stay, completion of four treatment modules, rehospitalizations, and emergency room visits during 12 months after discharge from index admission.

Around 98.70% of patients completed at least one out of the four treatment modules and 93.95% of patients completed two modules. There were no significant barriers to completing treatment modules on the basis of participant characteristics (demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, number of diagnoses, or length of stay). Completion of the four treatment modules, particularly modules on developing a safety plan and enhancing life, predicted lower risk for rehospitalization and emergency room contact in the 12 months postdischarge.

Findings suggest that the intervention is feasible to implement regardless of common barriers in an inpatient psychiatric setting, such as complex psychopathology and brief duration of hospitalization. Completion of treatment modules significantly reduces risk for subsequent emergency intensive service utilization, suggesting this intervention may be an effective method for reducing acute clinical events.