Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Working with the Dying and Bereaved pp 129–151Cite as

On the Brink — Managing Suicidal Teenagers

  • Chapter

Abstract

This chapter outlines a systemic approach to assessing and treating suicidal adolescents and their families. Suicidal behaviour is looked at in a variety of contexts: individual, family, social and professional. A whole range of different stressors contribute to the suicidal preoccupations of teenagers. Awareness of these stressors informs early intervention strategies as well as preventative measures. Following the individual assessment of the suicidal teenager, the family is reunited and becomes actively involved in the management plan. Specific family intervention techniques help to reframe the teenager’s symptoms and problem behaviours. Parallel work goes on identifying the significant influences in the teenager’s peer group, in the family’s cultural setting and in the professional network. The resulting multi-systems approach creates a powerful context for change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aggett, P. (1992) Putting the person in charge: a systemic approach to persons who self-poison. ACT dissertation (unpubl.). London: Institute of Family Therapy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldridge, D. (1984) Suicidal behaviour and family interaction: a brief review Journal of Family Therapy 6:309–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aldridge, D. and Dallos, R. (1986) Distinguishing families where suicidal behaviour is present from families where suicidal behaviour is absent. Journal of Family Therapy 8:243–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A.T, Schuyler, D. and Herman, I. (1974) Development of suicidal intent scales. In Beck, A.T, Resnick, H. and Lettieri, D. (eds) The Prediction of Suicide. Philadelphia: Charles Press, pp. 45–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cecchin, G. (1987) Hypothesising, circularity and neutrality revisited: an invitation to curiosity. Family Process 26:405–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, S. (1993) Health prevention messages may have paradoxical effect. British Medical Journal 306:926.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando, S. (1988) Race and Culture in Psychiatry. London: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geddes, M. and Medway, J. (1977) The symbolic drawing of the family life space. Family Process 16:219–28.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glover, G., Markes, F. and Nowers, M. (1989) Parasuicide in young Asian women. British Journal of Psychiatry 154:271–2.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, D. and Hodes, M. (1992) The poison of racism and the self-poisoning of adolescents. Journal of Family Therapy 14:51–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutstein, S., Rudd, M.D., Graham, J.C. and Rayha, L.L. (1988) Systemic crisis intervention as a response to adolescent crises: an outcome study. Family Process 27:201–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hawton, K. and Catalan, J. (1987) Attempted Suicide: A Practical Guide to its Nature and Management, 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawton, K., Ware, C., Mistry, H. et al. (1996) Paracetamol self-poisoning. Characteristics, prevention and harm reduction. British Journal of Psychiatry 168:43–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haley, J. (1980) Leaving Home: The Therapy of Disturbed Young People. New York, London: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hazell, P. (1991) Postvention after teenage suicide: an Australian experience. Journal of Adolescence 14:335–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirshfeld, R. and Blumenthal, S. (1986) Personality, life events and other psychosocial factors in adolescent depression and suicide. In Klerman, G. (ed.) Suicide and Depression Among Adolescents and Young Adults. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodes, M. (1990) Overdosing as communication: a cultural perspective. British Journal of Medical Psychology 63:319–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hollis, P. (1987) The management of adolescent overdose — a systems approach. Journal of Family Therapy 9:161–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, H. and Asen, K. (1992) Family therapy without the family: a framework for systemic practice. Journal of Family Therapy 14:1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juon, H.-S., Nam, J.J. and Ensminger, M.E. (1994) Epidemiology of suicidal behaviour among Korean adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 35:663–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kingsbury, S. (1993) Parasuicide in adolescence: a message in a bottle. Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review and Newsletter 15:253--9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laufer, M. (1996) Understanding suicide: does it have a special meaning in adolescence? In Laufer, M. (ed.) The Suicidal Adolescent. London: Karnac.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLeod, M. and Morris, S. (1996) Why Me? Children Talking to ChildLine About Bullying. London: ChildLine Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClure, G.M.G. (1994) Suicide in children and adolescents in England and Wales, 1960–1990. British Journal of Psychiatry 165:510–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Munson, S. (1986) Family-oriented consultation in paediatrics. In Wynne, L., McDaniel, S. and Weber, T. (eds) Systems Consultation. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Platt, S. (1987) The aftermath of Angie’s overdose. Is soap (opera) damaging to your health? British Medical Journal 294:954–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Prosser, D. (1996) Suicides by burning in England and Wales. British Journal of Psychiatry 168:175–82.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reder, P., Lucey, C. and Fredman, G. (1991) The challenge of deliberate selfharm by young adolescents. Journal of Adolescence 14:135–48.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, C. (1985) Teaching children the facts of life and death: suicide prevention in the schools. In Peck, M., Farberow, N. and Litman, R. (eds) Youth Suicide. New York: Springer

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotheram-Borus, M.J., Piacentini, J., Miller, S. et al. (1996). Toward improving treatment adherence among adolescent suicide attempters. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 1:99–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubenstein, J.L., Heeren, T., Housman, D. et al. (1989) Suicidal behaviour in ‘normal’ adolescents: risk and protective factors. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 59(1):59–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidtke, A. and Hafner, H. (1988) The Werther effect after television films: new evidence for an old hypothesis. Psychological Medicine 18:665–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Secretary of State for Health (1992) The Health of the Nation: A Strategy for Health in England. London: HMSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selvini Palazzoli, M., Boscolo, L., Cecchin, G. and Prata, G. (1980). Hypothesizing, circularity, neutrality: three guidelines for the conductor of the session. Family Process 19:3–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaffer, D. and Piacentini, J. (1994) Suicide and attempted suicide. In Rutter, M., Taylor, E. and Hersov, L. (eds) Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Modern Approaches, 3rd edn. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific, pp. 407–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simkin, S., Hawton, K., Whitehead, L. et al. (1995) Media influence on parasuicide. A study of the effects of a television drama portrayal of paracetamol self-poisoning. British Journal of Psychiatry 167:754–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spender, Q. (1996) A systemic approach to the treatment of teenage self-harm: integration with other models. ACT dissertation (unpubl.). London: Institute of Family Therapy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, E.J. and Barter, J.T. (1970) Adolescent suicidal behaviour. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 40:87–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, E.A. and Stansfield, S.A. (1984) Children who poison themselves. British Journal of Psychiatry 145:127–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomm, K. (1987) Interventive interviewing: Part II. Reflexive questioning as a means to self-healing. Family Process 26:167–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Venkoba Rao, A. (1983) India. In Headley, L.A. (ed.) Suicide in Asia and the Near East. California: University of California Press, pp. 210–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zayas, L.H. and Dyche, L.A. (1995) Suicide attempts in Puerto Rican adolescent females: a sociocultural perspective and family treatment approach. In Zimmerman, J.K. and Asnis, G.M. (eds) Treatment Approaches with Suicidal Adolescents. New York: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 203–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, J.K. and La Sorsa, V.A. (1995) Being the family’s therapist: an integrative approach. In Zimmerman, J.K. and Asnis, G.M. (eds) Treatment Approaches with Suicidal Adolescents. New York: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 174–88.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. K. Eia Asen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Family Therapy, London, UK

    Pauline Sutcliffe (Member), Guinevere Tufnell (Member) & Ursula Cornish (Member) (Member),  (Member) &  (Member)

Copyright information

© 1998 K. Eia Asen

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Asen, K.E. (1998). On the Brink — Managing Suicidal Teenagers. In: Sutcliffe, P., Tufnell, G., Cornish, U. (eds) Working with the Dying and Bereaved. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26222-9_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26222-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-333-66903-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-26222-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation