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

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.