Preventing self-harm in teens is important. Doctors, therapists, and researchers want to keep them safe, help them get the mental health help they need, and protect families, friends, and communities from grief and loss. There are several programs shown to be effective at preventing self-harm, including a type of therapy called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). However, the studies done so far are so small that it is still unknown whether DBT works for all groups of teens—teens at medium versus very high risk, boys versus girls, younger versus older teens—or whether different approaches may work better for some groups. This is important information, because it would help teens and their families to make the best choices from several self-harm prevention program options. Hospitals, clinics, doctors, and therapists also need information about what prevention services work best and should be made more available. The overall goal of this study is to find out what services work best for preventing self-harm in teens.

This study is being funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).