Psychotherapeutic intervention in parents of adolescents with suicidal intent to modify attitudes in the face of negative emotions

Abstract

Introduction: suicidal behavior in adolescents from Villa Clara is a frequent motive for hospital admission since 2008 and is related to inappropriate attitudes of parents in the face of negative emotional states. Objective: to develop a psychotherapeutic intervention to modify attitudes to negative emotions in parents of adolescents with suicidal intent. Method: a pre-experiment of psychotherapeutic intervention was carried out in 43 parents. In convenience sampling, 15 parents were worked on, who underwent the psychotherapeutic intervention with a criteria of before and after, for 10 weeks. Clinical histories were reviewed and interviews were carried out, questionnaires were applied and some descriptive variables were worked on. The psychotherapeutic intervention was defined as an independent variable, and the perception of emotions, frequency, motives, emotions as facilitators of thought, understanding, analysis and attitude towards them, were taken as dependent variables. Results: worry predominated among emotions. Before the intervention, the attitude towards predominant emotional states was the lack of control (isolation, desires to die, aggression, crying), caused by a previous negative thought. After the process the parents appropriated tools to control negative emotions and have positive thoughts, and to improve family relationships as an alternative to solve problems. Conclusions: after the design and implementation of the psychotherapeutic intervention, the results show a clear improvement in the emotional state of the parents because the magnitude of the emotions takes a positive way.