Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents at Rutgers University

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents at Rutgers University

This project expands our existing psychological services clinic (the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic at Rutgers University; DBT-RU) to include an adolescent treatment arm. Adolescents aged 13-20 and at least one caregiver will be recruited to participate in a six-month treatment study. Adolescents will be eligible to participate if they meet at least 3 criteria for borderline personality disorder, with one of those criteria being either impulsive behavior or recurrent self-harm behavior. Participants will be assessed at baseline, three-months (mid-treatment), six-months (post-treatment, and three-month follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 13-17 years or 18-20 if still living at home with parent.
• Agreement of at least one responsible adult parent/caregiver to participate in treatment.
• Agreement to take part in assessments, videotaping/audiotaping and coding of their sessions by research personnel.
• Agreement to pay for mental health services at the DBT- RU on a sliding scale, and to participate in research assessments as volunteers.
• Residence within commuting distance of clinic (< 45 minutes).
• Agreement to discontinue other forms of talk therapy for duration of DBT program (does not refer to AA/NA programs or psychotropic medication management).
• Exhibits dysregulation within the past six months as evidenced by 1) intentional self-injury and/or suicide attempt and/or 2) substance use disorder.
• Meets two additional criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Clients who need mental health services not available at the DBT- RU, such as treatment for schizophrenia or life-threatening anorexia, or who are currently obtaining optimum professional treatment that should not be ended.
• Non-English speaking.
• IQ < 70.
• Unable to understand research consent forms.
• Court-ordered to participate in treatment.