Correlates and short-term course of self-poisoning in adolescents

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.