Dialectical Behavior Therapy -Based Group Skills Training Applied to College Students: Effects on Emotion Dysregulation, Depression and Anxiety
Uitto, Miranna (2020)
2020
Psykologian maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Psychology
Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta - Faculty of Social Sciences
This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2020-05-14
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202004294657
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202004294657
Tiivistelmä
This study proposes the use of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training (DBT-ST) as a stand-alone treatment method in college student population to improve emotion dysregulation, depression and anxiety symptoms. Depression and anxiety disorders has almost tripled in past ten years and are the most common mental healt problems diagnosed in Finnish college students. DBT-ST targets in emotion dysregulation, which is a core mechanism in many mental health problems including depression and anxiety. DBT-ST is currently giving prove as a transdiagnostic stand-alone treatment in variety of clinical settings, but studies in non-clinical samples and in college students are limited
In this study the DBT skills including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness were taugh in weekly group sessions. The intervention sample were 20 Finnish college students aged from 20–39 year olds who had difficulties regulating their emotions. Having diagnosed mental health disorder was not impediment for participating, and 35% of participants had a previous diagnosis. To provide untreated control comparison the intervention group (n = 20) were randomly assigned to an active treatment group (n = 14) and a wait list control group (n = 6). The wait list group received the intervention after the active treatment group. The intervention lasted 8 weeks and the participants completed outcome measures at baseline, pretreatment (waitlist only), posttreatment and 3-month follow-up.
The results showed significant gains in emotion regulation. Furthermore, the ongoing reduction in emotion dysregulation between posttreatment and follow-up proves maintaining intervention effects. Also combined depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased throughout the study. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms, but no ongoing reduction was found. Control group comparisons showed no significant differences between an active treatment and a wait list groups. Still, the observed trend showed higher decreases in emotion dysregulation in an active treatment group. DBT-ST proves as an effective short-term treatment to emotion dysregulation in college students. It decreases experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms. DBT-ST is a cost-effective way to treat multiple people at the same time with variety of psychological distress. This study provides recommendations for future research in diverse clinical studies and age groups.
In this study the DBT skills including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness were taugh in weekly group sessions. The intervention sample were 20 Finnish college students aged from 20–39 year olds who had difficulties regulating their emotions. Having diagnosed mental health disorder was not impediment for participating, and 35% of participants had a previous diagnosis. To provide untreated control comparison the intervention group (n = 20) were randomly assigned to an active treatment group (n = 14) and a wait list control group (n = 6). The wait list group received the intervention after the active treatment group. The intervention lasted 8 weeks and the participants completed outcome measures at baseline, pretreatment (waitlist only), posttreatment and 3-month follow-up.
The results showed significant gains in emotion regulation. Furthermore, the ongoing reduction in emotion dysregulation between posttreatment and follow-up proves maintaining intervention effects. Also combined depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased throughout the study. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms, but no ongoing reduction was found. Control group comparisons showed no significant differences between an active treatment and a wait list groups. Still, the observed trend showed higher decreases in emotion dysregulation in an active treatment group. DBT-ST proves as an effective short-term treatment to emotion dysregulation in college students. It decreases experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms. DBT-ST is a cost-effective way to treat multiple people at the same time with variety of psychological distress. This study provides recommendations for future research in diverse clinical studies and age groups.