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

• Natalia Calvo ^[1] ; Silvia Amoretti ^[2] ; Jorge Lugo-Marín ^[2] ; Montserrat Oriol ^[3] ; Citlallí Perez ^[3] ; Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga ^[1] ; Marc Ferrer ^[1]
  1. [1] Psychiatry Department. University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Biomedical Online Research Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain; Psychiatry, Mental Health, and Addictions Group, Vall d’Hebron Research Institution (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain; Psychiatry and Legal Medicine Department, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; Group TLP Barcelona, Spain
  2. [2] Psychiatry Department. University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Biomedical Online Research Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain; Psychiatry, Mental Health, and Addictions Group, Vall d’Hebron Research Institution (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain; Psychiatry and Legal Medicine Department, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
  3. [3] Psychiatry Department. University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Biomedical Online Research Center of Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain

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• Localización: European journal of psychiatry, ISSN 0213-6163, Vol. 39, Nº 2, 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpsy.2024.100288
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    ntroducci´on y objetivos: Las conductas autolesivas no suicidas (NSSI) se han convertido en uno de los problemas de salud mental m´as severos entre adolescentes y adultos j´ovenes del mundo, especialmente entre poblaciones clínicas. El principal objetivo de este estudio piloto no aleatorizado es demostrar la efectividad del Programa TaySH en una muestra clínica de 37 pacientes ambulatorios de entre 14 y 25 a˜nos (M = 16.70, SD = 1.51), en la etapa de desarrollo TAY (Transitional age youth).

    M´etodos: Todos los participantes realizaron la evaluaci´on baseline o pre-tratamiento y 28 de ellos completaron la intervenci´on de 12 semanas y realizaron la evaluaci´on post-intervenci´on. Se tomaron como resultado principal la reducci´on de las conductas autolesivas, y como secundario el riesgo suicida, la desregulaci´on emocional, la clínica psicopatol´ogica de impulsividad, de síntomas depresivos y ansiedad, y funcionamiento psicosocial.

    Resultados: La frecuencia de las conductas de NSSI disminuy´o significativamente, pasando de una media de 3.32 (SD=4.07) episodios por semana a 0.29 (SD=0.98) episodios por semana tras la intervenci´on (p < 0.001, d de Cohen = 0.458). Esta reducci´on fue acompa˜nada por una mejora en los síntomas psicopatol´ogicos asociados, lo que llev´o a un mejor funcionamiento psicosocial entre los participantes del programa.

    Conclusiones: Los resultados sugieren que el Programa TaySH es una intervenci´on temprana prometedora para el manejo de las NSSI en esta poblaci´on. Futuros estudios deberían estudiar el mantenimiento de los cambios conseguidos especialmente en relaci´on a la reducci´on de la tendencia a la cronificaci´on de la psicopatología

  • English

    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.