Shaping decision-making with screen time: video-based dialectical behavior therapy skills training for college...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a transdiagnostic treatment applicable to diverse populations, including college students.
• A knowledge gap exists regarding DBT's influence on cognitive processes, specifically decision-making, via brief interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of Video-DBT skills training on decision-making tasks in college students.
• To investigate changes in Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) performance, Delay Discounting (DD), and social discounting (SD) after DBT intervention.

Main Methods:

• Ninety-five college students were randomly assigned to four core DBT skills groups.
• Participants received online Video-DBT training.
• Decision-making was evaluated using the IGT, DD, and SD tasks before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in decision-making tasks were found among or within groups post-intervention.
• Intriguing trends suggested potential changes in discounting rates and IGT performance.
• Distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness skills showed promise in reducing impulsivity and enhancing prosocial behavior.

Conclusions:

• Brief online DBT skills training may influence cognitive and behavioral decision-making outcomes.
• Specific DBT skills, like distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness, warrant further investigation for their role in impulsivity and prosocial behavior.