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Dialetical behavior therapy (DBT) may decrease suicide attempts among adolescent patients with bipolar disorder, according to data published in JAMA Psychiatry. While early-onset bipolar disorder substantially increases the risk for suicide, no psychological intervention among adolescents with bipolar disorder targets suicidal behavior. According to the randomized clinical trial conducted by Tina R. Goldstein, PhD, and colleagues, patients who received 1 year of DBT had fewer suicide attempts at 1 year compared with those who received standard of care. The findings suggest that DBT is the first psychosocial intervention with demonstrated effects on suicidal behavior for adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorder, concluded Dr. Goldstein and team.
