Dialectical behaviour therapy effective for managing suicidal tendency in bipolar disorder:JAMA study

Early-onset bipolar disorder conveys substantial risk for suicide. No psychosocial intervention for this population expressly targets suicidal behavior. The novel findings from a recently published trial in JAMA Psychiatry journal have shown effectiveness of Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as the first psychosocial intervention with demonstrated effects on suicidal behavior for adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorder.

To determine whether dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorder is more effective than standard of care (SOC) psychotherapy in decreasing suicide attempts over 1 year, authors Goldstein et al randomized 100 adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorder to receive either 1 year of DBT or SOC.

All youth received medication management via a flexible algorithm. Primary outcomes included suicide attempts over 1 year and mood symptoms and states (depression and hypomania/mania). Secondary analyses included moderation of DBT effects by history of suicide attempt and mediation through emotion dysregulation.