Poster #79 - Evaluation of a DBT STEPS-A Program Delivered to a Lower-Income New Mexico High School

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

Adolescence is a developmental stage characterized by physiological, cognitive, and emotional changes, as well as formative opportunities and unique challenges (APA, 2021). Overall, adolescents are facing an increasing number of mental health problems globally (CDC, 2019; WHO, 2022). Importantly, adolescents from low-income and diverse backgrounds face additional and unique difficulties (Hudson, 2005; WHO, 2021; Odgers & Adler, 2017). Addressing adolescent mental health sets up individuals for improved physical and mental health, and the opportunity to lead fulfilling lives as adults (WHO, 2021; NIHCM, 2005 as cited in Kutcher & Venn, 2008). Furthermore, preventative measures addressing mental health, especially among low-SES and racial-ethnic minority youth, may be particularly important in mitigating the effects of health disparities (Alegria, et al., 2015). School-based mental health interventions have been used to target a variety of mental health concerns (Calear & Christensen, 2010; Wilksch & Wade, 2009; Richardson & Paxton, 2010; Pinto-Foltz, Logsdon, & Myers, 2011; Sharpe, et al., 2013) as well as socioemotional functioning more broadly (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2022). One such intervention is Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A; Mazza et al., 2016). Only a few studies have examined the effectiveness and acceptability of DBT STEPS-A programs in lower-income, racially-ethnically diverse high schools (Chugani et al., 2021; Martinez et al., 2021; Zapolski et al., 2021). The current study evaluates the effectiveness of a school-based socio-emotional learning program, DBT STEPS-A, delivered to a low-income, primarily Hispanic adolescent population using a quasi-experimental design. Students at a New Mexico high school will receive ten 50-minute sessions based on DBT STEPS-A curriculum facilitated by Clinical Psychology Ph.D. students. Students in the control group will attend their Health or P.E. classes as usual during the ten weeks. Students will complete anonymous questionnaires pre- and post-intervention assessing emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Students in the intervention group will also fill out an acceptability questionnaire post-intervention.

The following hypotheses are proposed: (1) The DBT STEPS-A-based intervention will be effective at improving mindfulness, interpersonal competence, and emotion regulation from pre- to post-implementation, and (2) students receiving the intervention will have superior scores on measures of mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation post-intervention compared to controls. The study also has an exploratory aim of evaluating the acceptability of the program.

Frequencies and descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression will be employed to better understand the sample, compare the control and intervention groups, and investigate variability within the sample. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) will be used to test the differences between the control and intervention groups on outcomes of mindfulness, interpersonal competence, and emotion regulation, controlling for pre-test scores. Responses to open-ended questions on the acceptability questionnaire will be analyzed using thematic analysis and inductive coding. Data collection will conclude in December and data will be analyzed and interpreted by March 2023.

Authors

• Molly Pylypciw, University of New Mexico
  Presenting Author

• Naila deCruz-Dixon

• Hayley VanderJagt

• Ayesha Bhatia, University of New Mexico

• Kamilla L Venner

• Davood Tofighi, University of New Mexico

• Sarah Jane Erickson, University of New Mexico