The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy based on emotion regulation training on depression symptoms

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. in clinical psychology, Islamic Azad University, Branch of Saveh

2 Assistant professor of clinical psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders with developmental growth. Considering to the role of emotional regulation in psychological disorders such as depression, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy based on emotion regulation training on the depression symptoms among referred patients to a psychology clinic in Mashhad city.
Materials and Methods: The population of this clinical trial including all persons who had referred to the one of the Mashhad psychology clinics from January to March 2013 and were selected by available sampling method. The inclusion criteria was receiving 20 or more scores in Beck Depression Inventory-II and the exclusion criteria included another intervention, including any medicine and psychotherapy during this project. 30 participants were divided randomly to experimental (dialectical behavior therapy based on emotion regulation trainingin 8 sessions, twice a week) and control group, equally. The tools of this study were BDI-II and Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Data were collected in three points (pre-test, post-test and one month follow-up) and then analyzed by repeated measurement-analysis of variance in SPSS software version 16.
Results: It was indicated that, the experimental in comparison with the control group had significant decrease in depression symptoms (P=0.01, F(1,28)=62.9) and difficulties of emotion regulation (P=0.01, F(1,28)=15.9). The results were stable through one month.
Conclusion: Dialectical behavior therapy based on emotion regulation training leaded to significant decrease in depression symptoms and difficulties of emotion regulation.

Keywords


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