Piloting of COPES: An Empirically Informed Psychosocial Intervention on an Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the feasibility and initial efficacy of an empirically informed psychosocial intervention on an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit. METHODS: Data were obtained for 463 adolescents 12-16 years of age on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Information collected included demographics, psychiatric diagnoses, length of inpatient stay, completion of four treatment modules, rehospitalizations, and emergency room visits during 12 months after discharge from index admission. RESULTS: Around 98.70% of patients completed at least one out of the four treatment modules and 93.95% of patients completed two modules. There were no significant barriers to completing treatment modules on the basis of participant characteristics (demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, number of diagnoses, or length of stay). Completion of the four treatment modules, particularly modules on developing a safety plan and enhancing life, predicted lower risk for rehospitalization and emergency room contact in the 12 months postdischarge. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the intervention is feasible to implement regardless of common barriers in an inpatient psychiatric setting, such as complex psychopathology and brief duration of hospitalization. Completion of treatment modules significantly reduces risk for subsequent emergency intensive service utilization, suggesting this intervention may be an effective method for reducing acute clinical events.
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COPES demonstrated good feasibility and acceptability, as well as a decrease in readmission and re-presentation to psychiatric emergency departments following an inpatient stay.
“A similar CBT-based intervention, COPES (Wolff et al., 2018), also demonstrated good feasibility and acceptability, as well as a decrease in readmission and re-presentation to psychiatric emergency departments following an inpatient stay.”
From The rapid stabilization pathway: impact of a brief inpatient intervention on the length of stay and readmissions among psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (2023) · cites this paper as Wolff et al., 2018
Findings suggest that a brief length of stay even among patients with a wide range of psychopathology did not impact treatment outcomes.
“Importantly, findings suggest that a brief length of stay even among patients with a wide range of psychopathology did not impact treatment outcomes.”
From The rapid stabilization pathway: impact of a brief inpatient intervention on the length of stay and readmissions among psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (2023) · cites this paper as Wolff et al., 2018
Other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of training nurses and other medical staff in similar brief interventions.
“Other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of training nurses and other medical staff in similar brief interventions (Wolff et al., 2018).”
From Experiences of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Patients Boarding in the Emergency Department from Staff Perspectives: Patient Journey Mapping (2023) · cites this paper as Wolff et al., 2018
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Wolff, J. C., Frazier, E. A., Weatherall, S. L., Thompson, A. D., Liu, R. T., & Hunt, J. I.
- Affiliations
- Brown University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wolff, Jennifer C.
- Venue
- Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-08
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 409-414
- ISSN
- 1044-5463 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-8992
- OpenAlex
- W2796952506
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 4.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- adolescent psychiatric inpatients, psychosocial interventions, feasibility, hospital readmission, emergency department visits, safety planning, treatment completion, post-discharge outcomes
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Child, Female, Humans, Inpatients, Male, Pilot Projects, Psychiatric Department, Hospital
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