Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Prevention of Self Harm

Overview

Aim: To adapt and develop a culturally appropriate psychological intervention and test its feasibility, and acceptability for the patients presenting to general hospital following self-harm in Karachi Pakistan. Primary hypothesis: Patients who receive cognitive behavioral therapy will show significant decrease in suicidal ideation as compared to patients with treatment as usual. Design: Randomized Control Trial Setting: Medical Departments of General Hospitals in Karachi. Participants: A total of 200 self harm patients will be randomized to psychological intervention and treatment as usual arm. Intervention: Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Outcome measure: Beck Suicidal Ideation Scale

Culturally Adapted manualised Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will be a brief problem focused therapy comprising of 6 sessions within three months after a self-harm episode. The adapted therapy/training will be delivered by therapists/trained counselors at the hospital. Sessions will be offered weekly in the first two weeks and than fortnightly and will last 50 minutes. During each session the therapists will assess the risk of suicide and will liaise with the research supervisor and patient's treating clinician. The areas covered by the manual which has been adapted include an evaluation of the self-harm attempt, crisis skills, problem solving, and basic cognitive techniques to manage emotions and negative thinking and relapse prevention strategies. The treatment will be structured around patient's current problems with the relevant sections of the manual helping the patient to deal with specific problems leading to the self-harm act. Between the sessions the manual can be used for homework tasks by the patient.