Effectiveness of a 10-week group program based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills among patients with personality and mood disorders: findings from a pilot study
Abstract
Objectives: Community mental health services are often required to manage people experiencing repeated crises. Personality disorders are not uncommon, accounting for up to one-third of such presentations. These patients are often difficult to treat, leading to a revolving-door phenomenon. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a pilot intervention in reducing psychological symptoms and distress, and examined the impact of the intervention on mental health service utilization. Methods: A pre- versus post-treatment evaluation was conducted of the effectiveness of a 10-week group psychological intervention based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills, conducted in a regional Australian community mental health service with patients diagnosed with either Cluster B personality disorder or a mood disorder. Results: Of those who completed the program ( N = 38 patients), 84% were female, with an average age of 35.13 years. Participants were active clients of the service for an average of 58.3 weeks prior to the program. They demonstrated significant improvements in quality of life and self-control, and a reduction in hopelessness, cognitive instability and dependence on mental health services. Conclusions: Limiting the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy program to a short-term skills-based group component was successful with the targeted patient group; however, more research is required to establish the generalizability of these results.
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Recently studies have reported adaptations of shorter versions (3 months or less) of DBT and MBT with encouraging findings.
“However, recently studies have reported adaptations of shorter versions (3 months or less) of DBT 2 and MBT 3 with encouraging findings.”
From Acceptability and feasibility of a short-term group therapy for people with borderline personality disorder symptoms (2024) · cites this paper as [2]
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- Authors
- Conrad, A. M., Sankaranarayanan, A., Lewin, T. J., & Dunbar, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- Hunter New England Local Health District (AU)
- Clinical Nurse Consultant, Hunter Valley Mental Health Service, Hunter New England Mental Health, Maitland, NSW, Australia
- Corresponding author
- Conrad, Agatha M
- Venue
- Australasian Psychiatry
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-06-26
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 466-470
- ISSN
- 1039-8562 (ISSN-L)
- 1440-1665
- OpenAlex
- W2697136936
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 1.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Australasian Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Keywords
- dialectical behavior therapy, group therapy, personality disorders, mood disorders, cluster B personality disorders, community mental health services, revolving door, psychological distress, quality of life, self-control, hopelessness, mental health service utilization, skills-based intervention
- MeSH terms
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Adult, Community Mental Health Services, Female, Humans, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Personality Disorders, Pilot Projects, Psychotherapy, Group, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Mood Disorders
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