Effectiveness of a brief intervention aimed at increasing distress tolerance for individuals in crisis or at risk of self-harm

Abstract

Objective:

This study evaluated a brief psychological intervention aimed at improving distress tolerance and decreasing future admissions for individuals presenting to a mental health service in the context of crisis or self-harm.

Methods:

Eighty-five participants completed The Crisis Intervention Package at the point of contact with the mental health service. The outcome of the intervention was evaluated through pre- and post-scores on the Distress Tolerance Scale and future hospital admissions.

Results:

Participants showed a significant improvement in Distress Tolerance Scale scores (P < 0.001) indicating an increase in ability to tolerate distressing emotions. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in hospital admissions 6 months pre-test to 6 months post-test.

Conclusions:

The results demonstrate the potential effectiveness of structured, brief interventions aimed at increasing distress tolerance and self-management skills for individuals presenting to a mental health service in crisis.