Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39148399›Full record

ArticlePsychology and psychotherapy2025

Internet-delivered emotion regulation therapy for adolescents engaging in non-suicidal self-injury and their parents: A qualitative, online focus group study.

Sofie Heidenheim Christensen, Michella Heinrichsen, Bo Møhl, Lotte Rubæk, Katherine Krage Byrialsen, Olivia Ojala, Clara Hellner, Anne Katrine Pagsberg, Johan Bjureberg, Britt Morthorst

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychology and psychotherapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Sofie Heidenheim ChristensenChild and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-8258-4537
Michella HeinrichsenChild and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Bo MøhlDepartment of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
Lotte RubækSelf-Injury Team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Katherine Krage ByrialsenChild and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Olivia OjalaCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
Clara HellnerCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
Anne Katrine PagsbergChild and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Johan BjurebergCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden.
Britt MorthorstChild and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesWe explore adolescents' and their parents' experiences of internet-based emotion regulation therapy for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).

designA qualitative study nested within a controlled feasibility trial.

methodsOnline, semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with outpatient adolescents with NSSI aged 13-17 years (n = 9) and their parents (n = 8) who had received therapist-guided Internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (IERITA). Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThree main themes were generated: (1) Fatigue - barriers to and during treatment, comprised of two sub-themes 'Arriving to services exhausted, needing motivation, and leaving feeling abandoned' and 'the burden of IERITA and the consequences of fatigue', (2) inter- and intrapersonal insights as facilitators of change and (3) Online, written contact with the therapist is beneficial and contributes with less pressure, comprised of three sub-themes 'the therapist behind the screen is essential', 'less pressure sitting alone: the physical absence of a therapist' and 'engaging on your own terms, in your own tempo'. Themes were consistent among adolescents and parents.

conclusionFatigue due to therapeutic engagement and previous help-seeking processes created barriers for engagement. Emotion regulation therapy was experienced as beneficial leading to inter- and intra-personal insights, facilitating change of maladaptive patterns. Therapists were regarded as indispensable, and the internet-based format did not hinder therapeutic alliance. The written format allowed for reflection and alleviated the pressure of relating to the therapist. Further research should explore experiences of other online treatment formats (e.g. synchronous or video-based) with regard to benefits, fatigue and therapist interaction.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorEmotional RegulationInternet-Based InterventionParentsPsychotherapySelf-Injurious BehaviorAdolescentAdultFeasibility StudiesFemaleFocus GroupsHumansInternetMaleQualitative Researchemotion regulation therapyfamily, online focus grouponline treatmentqualitative studyself‐harmyouth

Identifiers

PMID39148399
PMCPMC12065073

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.