Description of the Strategy

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in children and adolescents represent an enormous public health concern around the world. In the United States, for example, completed suicide is currently the sixth leading cause of death among children (5–14 years) and the third leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults (15–24 years). Nonfatal self-injurious behaviors are even more common. Approximately 20% of high school students report seriously considering suicide, and 9% report making an actual suicide attempt in the previous 12 months. Moreover, up to 40% of adolescents in the community and 60% of adolescent psychiatric inpatients report engaging in self-mutilative behavior. Despite the high prevalence and serious physical and psychological damage associated with these behaviors, information about effective evaluation ...