Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
07:35
Behavioral Characterization of Pentylenetetrazole-induced Seizures: Moving Beyond the Racine Scale
Published on: July 8, 2025
1.8K
Group Dialectical-Behavior Therapy Skills Training for Conversion Disorder With Seizures.
Kim D Bullock1, Nida Mirza1, Craig Forte1
1From the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (KDB, NM, CF, MT).
Summary
Dialectical-behavior therapy skills training (DBT-ST) shows promise for conversion disorder (CD). This treatment approach significantly reduced seizure rates and demonstrated high patient completion rates in a pilot study.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Background:
- Conversion disorder (CD) is associated with neuroimaging-identified deficits in affective regulation.
- Emotion dysregulation is a key feature in CD, suggesting targeted interventions may be beneficial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of using Dialectical-Behavior Therapy Skills Training (DBT-ST) as a standalone treatment for conversion disorder.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of DBT-ST in reducing seizure frequency in patients with CD.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, naturalistic study involving 19 adult outpatients with video EEG-confirmed seizure-type CD.
- Participants received weekly group DBT-ST sessions based on Linehan's manual for borderline personality disorder.
- Treatment duration averaged 20.5 weeks for completers.
Main Results:
- A 66% decrease in the mean seizure rate was observed.
- 35% of participants achieved complete seizure cessation.
- Treatment completion rates were high, reaching 90%.
Conclusions:
- Stand-alone DBT-ST is a feasible and potentially effective treatment for conversion disorder.
- DBT-ST may significantly improve affective regulation and reduce seizure burden in CD patients.
- High completion rates suggest patient engagement and acceptance of this therapeutic approach.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Behavior Therapy
998
Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
998
01:24Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
732
Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) are grounded in the belief that our thoughts profoundly influence our emotions and actions. Advocates of CBT emphasize three core assumptions: first, that cognitions are identifiable and measurable; second, that they are central to psychological functioning; and third, that irrational or maladaptive beliefs can be replaced with rational and adaptive ones. This transformative approach to therapy has paved the way for specific models such as Albert...
732
01:30Electroconvulsive Therapy
2.2K
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...
2.2K
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
663
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
663
01:26Modeling in Therapy
744
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
744
01:24Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview
1.7K
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
1.7K