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Correlates and short-term course of self-poisoning in adolescents
M Kerfoot1, E Dyer, V Harrington
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester.
Abstract
Background:
The features of adolescents who had taken an overdose were assessed to determine the focus for a treatment trial.
Method:
Overdose cases were compared with psychiatric and community controls who had not taken an overdose in respect of mental disorders and family background.
Results:
Overdose cases had high rates of major depression, but most of them recovered from depression within six weeks of the overdose. There was a specific association between taking an overdose and family dysfunction.
Conclusions:
Family dysfunction could be a useful focus in a clinical trial of the aftercare of adolescents who have taken an overdose.