ABSTRACT
Although research to date on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for adolescents has its limitations, growing evidence suggests that DBT is a promising treatment for adolescents with a range of problematic behaviors, including but not limited to suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injury. This article introduces dialectical behavior therapy's theoretical underpinnings, describes its adaptation for suicidal adolescents, and provides a brief review of the empirical literature evaluating DBT with adolescents.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Borderline Personality Disorder/therapy , Suicide Prevention , Adolescent , HumansABSTRACT
Suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors are pernicious and highly prevalent among youth worldwide. Studies confirm that engaging suicidal youth in outpatient treatment is a challenge for most therapists and that a substantial number of suicidal youth never follow through with treatment referrals received in emergency departments and eventually re-attempt suicide. The treatment engagement literature for suicidal youth has largely focused on identifying empirical correlates of attendance and testing interventions to increase compliance. In an effort to promote the use of theory in this field, this article employs Staudt's (2007) conceptual model of the treatment engagement process to both organize the empirical literature and to explain specific treatment engagement and retention strategies used in dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal adolescents. Recommendations for future research are offered.
Subject(s)
Ambulatory Care , Empirical Research , Psychological Theory , Psychotherapy/methods , Suicide, Attempted/prevention & control , Adolescent , Emergency Services, Psychiatric/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Compliance/statistics & numerical data , Suicide, Attempted/psychology , Suicide, Attempted/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
This study assessed whether motivational interviewing (MI), applied as part of a standard guided self-help (GSH) behavioral weight loss treatment, reduced attrition rate and improved participant weight loss and other eating-related and general psychological measures, relative to a standard GSH treatment alone. Thirty-nine overweight patients (7 males, 32 females) were randomized to receive either 6 sessions of traditional guided self-help and 2 traditional motivation-focused sessions (GSH treatment); or 6 guided self-help sessions and 2 sessions utilizing an MI approach to motivation (GSH/MI treatment). In intention-to-treat analyses, significant differences were found in the areas of eating concern and control over eating, favoring GSH/MI. Between-group effect size estimates indicated a small advantage for GSH/MI over GSH in weight loss, as well as on a number of secondary eating-related measures. Implications and future directions are discussed.
