Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective
Adolescence is characterized by heightened emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and engagement in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use, violence, and unprotected sexual activity. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that targets emotion regula...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580251314279 |
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| author | MacKenzie Whitener MPH Shirin Khazvand PhD Ian Carson MS Anna Martin BS Michelle Salyers PhD Melissa Cyders PhD Matthew Aalsma PhD Tamika Zapolski PhD |
| author_facet | MacKenzie Whitener MPH Shirin Khazvand PhD Ian Carson MS Anna Martin BS Michelle Salyers PhD Melissa Cyders PhD Matthew Aalsma PhD Tamika Zapolski PhD |
| author_sort | MacKenzie Whitener MPH |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adolescence is characterized by heightened emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and engagement in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use, violence, and unprotected sexual activity. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that targets emotion regulation and impulsivity among adolescents, proven effective at decreasing high-risk behaviors. However, limited research exists on adolescents' perceptions of DBT-A, particularly in schools. The current study aimed to understand adolescents’ perspectives on a DBT-A skills group delivered within urban high schools in a midwestern state. The study sample of 18 youth (mean age 14.7; 66.7% male; 38.9% Black) completed individual semi-structured qualitative interviews assessing their perspectives on the DBT-A skills group. Interview topics included the program’s impact on youths’ daily lives, risk-taking behaviors, skill acquisition, and general feedback about the group. Fifteen of the eighteen participants (86%) reported acceptability of the program, expressing that they enjoyed the content and would recommend the group to peers. Participants observed positive impacts on their daily lives, including self-reported enhanced ability to regulate their emotions, communicate with teachers, effectively adapt their mindsets and motivations, and make healthy relationship decisions. Additionally, some noted an increased feeling of connection to their peers following the group. Delivering the DBT-A skills group in schools was shown to have high rates of acceptability among youth and resulted in improved emotion regulation and reduced impulsivity. Further research is needed to assess long-term effects of this program and to identify best training practices for school staff to implement and sustain the program long-term. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-685d1651a826418cbc87379f450dd0b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0046-9580 1945-7243 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| spelling | doaj-art-685d1651a826418cbc87379f450dd0b42025-01-24T11:03:26ZengSAGE PublishingInquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing0046-95801945-72432025-01-016210.1177/00469580251314279Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative PerspectiveMacKenzie Whitener MPH0Shirin Khazvand PhD1Ian Carson MS2Anna Martin BS3Michelle Salyers PhD4Melissa Cyders PhD5Matthew Aalsma PhD6Tamika Zapolski PhD7Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAAdolescence is characterized by heightened emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and engagement in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use, violence, and unprotected sexual activity. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that targets emotion regulation and impulsivity among adolescents, proven effective at decreasing high-risk behaviors. However, limited research exists on adolescents' perceptions of DBT-A, particularly in schools. The current study aimed to understand adolescents’ perspectives on a DBT-A skills group delivered within urban high schools in a midwestern state. The study sample of 18 youth (mean age 14.7; 66.7% male; 38.9% Black) completed individual semi-structured qualitative interviews assessing their perspectives on the DBT-A skills group. Interview topics included the program’s impact on youths’ daily lives, risk-taking behaviors, skill acquisition, and general feedback about the group. Fifteen of the eighteen participants (86%) reported acceptability of the program, expressing that they enjoyed the content and would recommend the group to peers. Participants observed positive impacts on their daily lives, including self-reported enhanced ability to regulate their emotions, communicate with teachers, effectively adapt their mindsets and motivations, and make healthy relationship decisions. Additionally, some noted an increased feeling of connection to their peers following the group. Delivering the DBT-A skills group in schools was shown to have high rates of acceptability among youth and resulted in improved emotion regulation and reduced impulsivity. Further research is needed to assess long-term effects of this program and to identify best training practices for school staff to implement and sustain the program long-term.https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580251314279 |
| spellingShingle | MacKenzie Whitener MPH Shirin Khazvand PhD Ian Carson MS Anna Martin BS Michelle Salyers PhD Melissa Cyders PhD Matthew Aalsma PhD Tamika Zapolski PhD Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing |
| title | Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective |
| title_full | Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective |
| title_short | Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective |
| title_sort | acceptability and efficacy of an adapted school based dialectical behavioral therapy skills group for adolescents a qualitative perspective |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580251314279 |
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