Treatment For Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior: A Review of Family‐Based Interventions

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to review the scientific evidence on the effects of family based interventions for suicidal ideation and behavior. We conducted an extensive search of electronic databases using a comprehensive search strategy. This search resulted in 16 studies that tested 13 interventions for treating suicidal ideation and behavior using family based interventions. Of the interventions identified, three yielded an overall improvement in suicidal ideation and behavior while an additional three interventions produced partial improvement in mental health symptoms. These studies targeted suicidal ideation and behavior in youth or adolescents while no studies examined family interventions for adults with suicidal ideation and behavior. The limitations of these studies and the need for additional research are examined.

Perceived Burdensomeness Among Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of the Contexts in Which Perceptions of Burdensomeness Occur

“…Given the extent to which perceptions of burdensomeness appear to reflect maladaptive distortions of relatively normative experiences, interventions to address perceived burdensomeness may benefit from the inclusion of cognitive therapy approaches for managing cognitive distortions. Additionally, given that burdensomeness most often occurred within the parent-adolescent relationship, interventions with adolescents may benefit from inclusion of some family-based treatment (for review, see Frey & Hunt, 2018). Family-based therapy would provide an opportunity for adolescents to express their perceptions of burdensomeness while allowing families to reassure adolescents that the value of the continued relationship outweighs the costs of maintaining it.…”

Testing Basic Assumptions of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire‐15 in a Sample of Clinically Depressed and Suicidal Youth

“…Future studies should make an effort to understand these two subfacets of TB in adolescents; specifically, we believe understanding how peer and family relationships and belongingness may related to the IPTS constructs is a good start for this furthering this investigation. Established measures and theoretical constructs of loneliness (see Laursen & Hartls, 2013;Van Orden et al, 2010 for review) or family systems theories (see Frey, Hans, & Sanford, 2016) may assist in this refining these constructs. It is also of note that in this study PB strongly loaded onto one cohesive factor.…”

“…However, almost entirely this knowledge has been developed through empirical generalizations without an attempt or the ability to explain why this may lead a person to suicide. While a variety of different approaches to addressing suicide‐related thoughts and behavior have been developed and implemented, very few of the underlying theoretical assumptions of the approach are mentioned (Frey & Hunt, ). These theoretical underpinnings are important as they do (or should) inform decisions about when and how intervention should occur.…”

“…A number of root causes of depression and suicidality have been suggested: the symptoms of a single, neurobiological disease (medication approaches;Fried & Niesse, 2015;Reardon, 2014); a lack of problem solving, self-regulation, emotion-regulation (cognitive-and dialectical-behavioral approaches; Dimeff & Linehan, 2001;Rudd, 2000); or the result of some family and/or contextual dysfunction (Diamond, Reis, Diamond, Siqueland, & Isaacs, 2002;Frey & Cerel, 2015). One theory with growing theoretical and empirical support to explain what makes a person suicidal is the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005;Van Orden et al, 2010).…”

Gender Conformity and Suicide: A Case Study Integrating Structural Family Therapy and Satir Experiential Therapy

“…As TGNC youth navigate the discrimination and lack of safety in society, they are also faced with a lack of connection at school, and more importantly, their family (Newcomb et al, 2019). In an effort to alleviate the suicide rates among the youth population, some research suggests the need for family-based interventions (Frey & Hunt, 2017); however, much of this research is not specific to LGBTQ-IA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual) youth but rather emphasizes a general sample of adolescents. This case study seeks to illustrate the utilization of effective family-based interventions with a TGNC youth struggling with suicidality.…”