Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of attachment-based family therapy (ABFT) compared with a family-enhanced nondirective supportive therapy (FE-NST) for decreasing adolescents' suicide ideation and depressive symptoms. Method: A randomized controlled trial of 129 adolescents who are suicidal ages 12-to 18-years-old (49% were African American) were randomized to ABFT (n ¼ 66) or FE-NST (n ¼ 63) for 16 weeks of treatment. Assessments occurred at baseline and 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Trajectory of change and clinical recovery were calculated for suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. Results: There was no significant between-group difference in the rate of change in self-reported ideation (Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire-Jr; F 1,127 ¼ 181, p ¼ .18). Similar results were found for depressive symptoms. However, adolescents receiving ABFT showed a significant decrease in suicide ideation (t 127 ¼ 12.61, p < .0001; effect size, d ¼ 2.24). Adolescents receiving FE-NST showed a similar significant decrease (t 127 ¼ 10.88, p < .0001; effect size, d ¼ 1.93). Response rates (ie, !50% decrease in suicide ideation symptoms from baseline) at post-treatment were 69.1% for ABFT versus 62.3% for FE-NST. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, ABFT did not perform better than FE-NST. The 2 treatments produced substantial decreases in suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms that were comparable to or better than those reported in other more intensive, multicomponent treatments. The equivalent outcomes could be attributed to common treatment elements, different active mechanisms, or regression to the mean. Future studies will explore long-term follow up, secondary outcomes, and potential moderators and mediators. Clinical trial registration information: Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Suicidal Adolescents; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01537419.

Findings highlight varying level of risk across subgroups of LGBQ youth and suggest the importance of considering LGBQ groups separately in the context of a behavioral health assessment, especially for females.

The study's limitations include the use of cross-sectional and self-data reports. When medical providers evaluate suicide risk, bullying should be considered as a possible precipitant, especially if the patient is depressed. Verbal bullying may be particularly important in understanding severity of suicide risk.

The purpose of the study was to identify groups of adolescents based on their reported use of different coping strategies and compare levels of depression and anxiety symptoms across the groups. Tenth and eleventh grade public school students (N = 982; 51% girls; 66% Caucasian; M age =16.04, SD = .73) completed a battery of self-report measures that assessed their use of different coping strategies, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Latent profile analysis (LPA) classified the participants into four distinct groups based on their responses on subscales of the COPE inventory (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). Groups differed in amount of coping with participants in each group showing relative preference for engaging in certain strategies over others. Disengaged copers reported the lowest amounts of coping with a preference for avoidance strategies. Independent copers reported moderate levels of coping with relatively less use of support-seeking. Social support-seeking copers and active copers reported the highest levels of coping with a particular preference for support-seeking strategies. The independent copers reported the lowest levels of depressive symptoms compared to the three other groups. The Social Support Seeking and Active Coping Groups reported the highest levels of anxiety. Although distinct coping profiles were observed, findings showed that adolescents between the ages of 14 and 16 engage in multiple coping strategies and are more likely to vary in their amount of coping than in their use of specific strategies.