The effectiveness of the TaySH (Transitional Age Youth Self-Harm) Program in the management of Non-Suicidal Self-Harm (NSSI) in outpatient adolescents and young adults: A non-randomized controlled pilot study

Abstract

Background and objectives

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has become one of the most severe mental health problems among adolescents and young adults worldwide, especially in clinical populations. The main objective of this non-randomized pilot study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the TaySH Program in a clinical sample of 37 outpatients aged 14 to 25 years (M = 16.70, SD= 1.51), TAY (Transitional age youth) developmental stage.

Methods

All participants underwent the baseline or pre-treatment assessment and 28 patients completed the 12-week intervention treatment and underwent post-treatment evaluation through different interviews and self-reports. The primary outcome was the reduction of NSSI, and the secondary outcomes were suicide risk, emotional dysregulation, the psychopathological clinical manifestations of impulsivity, depressive symptoms and anxiety, and psychosocial functioning.

Results

The frequency of NSSI behaviors decreased significantly from a mean of 3.32 (SD=4.07) episodes per week at baseline to 0.29 (SD=0.98) episodes per week post-treatment (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.458). This reduction was accompanied by an improvement in associated psychopathological symptoms, leading to better psychosocial functioning among program participants.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the TaySH Program is a promising early intervention for managing NSSI in this population. Future studies should examine the maintenance of the changes achieved, especially concerning the reduction of the psychopathology's tendency toward chronicity.