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A strategic assessment of deliberate self‐harm
Author(s) -
Aldridge David,
Rossiter Jacqueline
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1046/j.1467-6427.1984.00639.x
Subject(s) - harm , interview , schedule , deliberate self harm , context (archaeology) , psychology , identification (biology) , psychiatry , medicine , psychotherapist , social psychology , medical emergency , suicide prevention , poison control , sociology , management , history , botany , biology , anthropology , economics , archaeology
This paper describes how patients are interviewed in the context of a general hospital after they have been involved in an episode of self‐harm. The interview schedule is structured upon the principles of brief therapy, and uses the ‘neutral’ approach of the Milan Team (Weakland 1974; Palazzoli et al. 1980). The schedule provides information for referring on and has proved to be ‘therapeutic’ in itself. The method of interviewing has been used in other hospital contexts with families where a member has been referred ‘in a crisis’ threatening, or indicating suicidal behaviour. It is suggested that the identification of who is involved systemically is of paramount importance, and that this may not involve ‘the family’ but significant others in the social network. The important systemic involvement of the general practitioner is recognized.