Coping and Regulating Emotions: A Pilot Study of a Modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy Group Delivered in a College Counseling Service
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of a pilot program, aimed at treating college students with borderline personality disorder (BPD) using short-term, modified group dialectical behavior therapy at an Australian college counseling service (CCS). PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen enrolled college students aged between 18 and 28 (76.5% female), with a diagnosis of BPD completed the program between November 2009 and November 2010. METHODS: Participants attended 8 2-hour group therapy sessions, held at the CCS during semester. Participants were assessed for levels of depression, anxiety, BPD traits, and coping strategies, at commencement and completion of the program. RESULTS: There was a reduction in symptoms of depression and BPD traits, and an increase in adaptive coping skills, including problem solving, and constructive self-talk. There was no reduction in anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate promise for short-term treatment of college students with BPD. Implications and limitations are discussed, with emphasis on replication with a control group.
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Two studies focusing on college students with BPD or cluster B personality traits found evidence for the effects of shortened, between eight and eleven weeks, DBT skills training in reducing depression and BPD traits, and in increasing skills use and decreasing maladaptive coping.
“Two studies focusing on college students with BPD or cluster B personality traits found evidence for the effects of shortened (i.e., between eight and eleven weeks) DBT skills training in reducing depression and BPD traits [23], and in increasing skills use and decreasing maladaptive coping [24].”
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- Authors
- Meaney-Tavares, R., & Hasking, P.
- ORCID
- Hasking, Penelope
- Venue
- Journal of American College Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2013-07
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 303-309
- ISSN
- 0164-4300 (ISSN-L)
- 0744-8481
- 1940-3208
- OpenAlex
- W1974865352
- Cited by
- 54
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 4.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of American College Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Monash University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- dialectical behavior therapy, borderline personality disorder, university students, university counseling services, group therapy, emotion regulation, coping strategies, depression, anxiety, problem solving, self-talk, short-term treatment
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Australia, Behavior Therapy, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health Services, Pilot Projects, Universities, Young Adult
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