Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents Engaging in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), purposefully harming oneself without the
conscious intent to die such as cutting or burning, is pervasive among adolescents.
Lifetime prevalence estimates among community samples of high school students range from
13.0% to 23.2%. Despite the significance of this public health problem, there are no known
interventions that successfully reduce the frequency of NSSI or prevent NSSI in adolescents.
The goal of the current study is to develop an effective psychosocial intervention for NSSI
among adolescents who are engaging in self-injury and have a depressive disorder.
Specifically, we will amend Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A), a
psychotherapy that has demonstrated efficacy in treating depressed adolescents (Mufson et
al., 1994, 1999, 2004), for use with adolescents with depression who are engaging in NSSI,
with the ultimate goal of curing the depression and NSSI. Ten participants will be
administered IPT-A and assessed several times throughout the course of the trial. It is
expected that IPT-A will be a useful treatment for co-morbid depression and self-injury,
although adaptations to the protocol will likely be needed to address the behavioral aspect
of the self-injury. Data analyses will be descriptive in nature and involve examining the
individual trajectories of depression and NSSI over time. The data obtained from the
current study will lay the groundwork for an ultimate randomized controlled trial in which
we plan to compare IPT-A versus nondirective supportive therapy in the treatment of
co-morbid depression and NSSI.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 12 to 18 years of age

2. Diagnosis of MDD, Dysthymic Disorder, Depressive Disorder NOS, Adjustment Disorder
with depressed Mood

3. Non-suicidal self-injurious behavior

4. CDRS >= 36

5. C-GAS <= 65

6. English speaking patient

7. One English speaking caregiver -

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Suicide attempt within past 6 months or actively suicidal

2. Severe incident of non-suicidal self-injury in past 3 months

3. Severe episode of MDD

4. Treatment resistant non-suicidal self-injury

5. Frequent non-suicidal self-injury

6. Mentally retarded

7. Current diagnosis of: PTSD, OCD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Psychosis,
Substance Dependence, ADHD

8. Current substance use

9. Currently in active treatment for same condition

10. Currently taking antidepressant medication

11. Medical illness likely to interfere with treatment -