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Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Behavioural Therapy | Research article

A qualitative research of adolescents with behavioral problems about their experience in a dialectical behavior therapy skills training group

Authors: Eva Sesma Pardo, Aránzazu Fernández Rivas, Pablo Orgaz Barnier, Marina Beá Mirabent, Iñaki Kerexeta Lizeaga, Aída Díaz Cosgaya, Ana Catalán Alcántara, Esther Vivanco González, Blaise Aguirre, Miguel Angel González Torres

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Several quantitative studies support the effectiveness of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) psychosocial skills training group component for adolescents with impulse-control disorder and/or emotional dysregulation. However, qualitative research to assess this psychotherapeutic tool in the adolescent population is sparse. This study aims to examine the subjective experience of adolescents with behavioral issues who have completed DBT skills training group, as well as using this experience to extract hypotheses regarding its usefulness which can then be verified at a later time by means of quantitative instruments.

Methods

We developed a qualitative study by using focus groups with adolescents (N = 20) whose diagnosis includes symptoms such as behavior disorder, impulse-control disorder and/or emotional dysregulation, and good informants, who have completed DBT skills training. Three focus groups were created.

Results

The subjective experience of adolescents who have completed a DBT skills training group is collected in four main categories: experience of illness, motivation for therapy, experience of therapy and results of the therapy.

Conclusions

Adolescents with behavioral problems assess their participation in the DBT skills training group positively, even recommending its usefulness to healthy population. Beyond learning skills, they emphasize the intrapsychic changes (as improvement in reflective activity) that they objectify after the group experience.
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Metadata
Title
A qualitative research of adolescents with behavioral problems about their experience in a dialectical behavior therapy skills training group
Authors
Eva Sesma Pardo
Aránzazu Fernández Rivas
Pablo Orgaz Barnier
Marina Beá Mirabent
Iñaki Kerexeta Lizeaga
Aída Díaz Cosgaya
Ana Catalán Alcántara
Esther Vivanco González
Blaise Aguirre
Miguel Angel González Torres
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02649-2

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