Dialectical behavior therapy adapted for suicidal adolescents

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Adolescent Mental Health

Background:

• Suicidal behavior and borderline personality features are significant concerns in adolescence.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an established treatment for borderline personality disorder.
• Adaptations of DBT are being explored for specific adolescent populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of an adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program for suicidal adolescents with borderline personality features.
• To compare the outcomes of the adapted DBT intervention with treatment as usual (TAU).

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed.
• Participants were assigned to either an adapted DBT group (n=29) or a treatment as usual (TAU) group (n=82).
• The adapted DBT involved 12 weeks of twice-weekly individual therapy and multifamily skills training. TAU included supportive-psychodynamic individual therapy and family therapy.

Main Results:

• Despite greater baseline symptom severity, the adapted DBT group experienced significantly fewer psychiatric hospitalizations during treatment.
• The adapted DBT group demonstrated a significantly higher rate of treatment completion compared to the TAU group.
• Within the adapted DBT group, significant reductions were observed in suicidal ideation, general psychiatric symptoms, and borderline personality symptoms. No significant differences in suicide attempts were found between groups.

Conclusions:

• Adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a promising intervention for suicidal adolescents exhibiting borderline personality characteristics.
• The findings suggest that adapted DBT can improve treatment engagement and reduce psychiatric hospitalizations in this population.
• Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects and optimal delivery of DBT for adolescents with these challenges.