TY - JOUR
T1 - A systematic review of qualitative research of the experiences of young people and their caregivers affected by suicidality and self-harm
T2 - implications for family-based treatment
AU - Simes, Di
AU - Shochet, Ian
AU - Murray, Kate
AU - Sands, Isobel G.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Despite the greatest onset and increased frequency of suicidal or self-harm behavior occurring in adolescence, most youth affected do not receive professional care. Family-based intervention offers a promising treatment for this population, however, there is much to learn about the barriers and facilitators to effective care and the tailoring of treatment necessary to meet youth and family needs. Such insights can be sourced from a growing qualitative literature reporting the views of young people and their caregivers affected by suicidality and self-harm. This systematic review analyzes qualitative research to synthesize the perspectives of these youth and their caregivers about their needs for and experiences of professional help. Following a search of 4 databases, 35 studies were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methods. Barriers to effective care were identified at individual, family, and systems levels. Young people and their caregivers experienced fractured relationships and overwhelming emotions that impeded engagement, increased young people’s distress and suicidality, and reduced parenting efficacy. Systemic barriers to care included insufficient, fragmented, and inaccessible services, and stigmatizing or dismissive responses from healthcare providers. In contrast, effective professional care was timely, non-judgmental, collaborative, and included separate and joint sessions for youth and caregivers to address their individual needs and foster relationship repair. This review’s findings support the value of family-based treatment that pro-actively addresses stigma and highlight the need for increased services that are structured to facilitate therapeutic engagement from crisis through recovery.
AB - Despite the greatest onset and increased frequency of suicidal or self-harm behavior occurring in adolescence, most youth affected do not receive professional care. Family-based intervention offers a promising treatment for this population, however, there is much to learn about the barriers and facilitators to effective care and the tailoring of treatment necessary to meet youth and family needs. Such insights can be sourced from a growing qualitative literature reporting the views of young people and their caregivers affected by suicidality and self-harm. This systematic review analyzes qualitative research to synthesize the perspectives of these youth and their caregivers about their needs for and experiences of professional help. Following a search of 4 databases, 35 studies were analyzed using Consensual Qualitative Research methods. Barriers to effective care were identified at individual, family, and systems levels. Young people and their caregivers experienced fractured relationships and overwhelming emotions that impeded engagement, increased young people’s distress and suicidality, and reduced parenting efficacy. Systemic barriers to care included insufficient, fragmented, and inaccessible services, and stigmatizing or dismissive responses from healthcare providers. In contrast, effective professional care was timely, non-judgmental, collaborative, and included separate and joint sessions for youth and caregivers to address their individual needs and foster relationship repair. This review’s findings support the value of family-based treatment that pro-actively addresses stigma and highlight the need for increased services that are structured to facilitate therapeutic engagement from crisis through recovery.
KW - youth
KW - family
KW - suicide
KW - self-harm
KW - family therapy
KW - mental health
KW - psychotherapy
KW - qualitative
KW - lived experience
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107878290&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40894-021-00164-3
DO - 10.1007/s40894-021-00164-3
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85107878290
SN - 2363-8346
VL - 7
SP - 211
EP - 233
JO - Adolescent Research Review
JF - Adolescent Research Review
IS - 2
ER -