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Children who Poison Themselves II. Prediction of Attendance for Treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

E. A. Taylor*
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
S. A. Stansfeld
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
*
Correspondence.

Summary

The factors making for therapeutic engagement were examined in a series of 50 schoolchildren who had deliberately poisoned themselves. Of these 28 kept an appointment for psychiatric treatment: they were characterised by high levels of psychological symptoms, especially those of depression. The kind of treatment offered was not predictive, but parental attitudes and background contributed to the likelihood of returning for treatment. Psychiatric treatment, if effective, would be appropriate for many such children, and should be offered to them.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1984 

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References

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Taylor, E. A. & Stansfeld, S. A. (1984) Children who poison themselves. I. A clinical comparison with psychiatric controls. British Journal of Psychiatry, in press.Google Scholar
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