Attachment-based family therapy with a 13-year-old girl presenting with high risk for suicide.

Year: 2016 Source: Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.(2016).42(1):91Ð105.DOI:10.1111/jmft.12102 SIEC No: 20160166

This article describes the application of Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT) to the treatment of a 13-year-old female adolescent presenting with high risk of suicide, complicated by a history of depression and sexual trauma. The article begins with an overview of ABFT, including (a) how attachment theory guides treatment; (b) the structure of the clinical model; and (c) the data that provide empirical support. A case example is then presented that exemplifies the primary clinical procedures used to reach therapeutic goals in ABFT, including attachment repair and autonomy/competence promotion. Weekly changes in suicide ideation and depression scores are presented. The article concludes with a discussion about implications for family-based treatment of suicidal youth.

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Ewing, E.Levy, S.et al.