PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Dennis Ougrin
AU  - Isabel Boege
AU  - Daniel Stahl
AU  - Reetoodwaj Banarsee
AU  - Eric Taylor
TI  - Randomised controlled trial of therapeutic assessment versus usual assessment in adolescents with self-harm: 2-year follow-up
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2012-303200
DP  - 2013 Oct 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 772--776
VI  - 98
IP  - 10
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/10/772.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/98/10/772.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2013 Oct 01; 98
AB  - Background An earlier randomised controlled trial demonstrated improved treatment engagement in adolescents who received Therapeutic Assessment (TA) versus Assessment As Usual (AAU), following an emergency presentation with self-harm. Objectives To determine 2-year outcomes for the same adolescents focusing on frequency of Accident and Emergency (A&E) self-harm presentations and treatment engagement. Method Patients in the TA groups (n=35) and the AAU group (n=34) were followed up 2 years after the initial assessment. Their primary and secondary care electronic records were analysed. Results There was no significant difference in the frequency of self-harm resulting in A&E presentations between the two groups (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.23 to 2.13, p=0.53). Treatment engagement remained higher in the TA group than the AAU group. Conclusions TA is not associated with a lower frequency of A&E self-harm presentations. The effect of TA on engagement is maintained 2 years after the initial assessment. Interventions to reduce self-harm in adolescents are needed. Trial registration ISRCTN 81605131, http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN81605131/