Library / Mental Health Literacy /

DBT Skills in Schools

MODALITY: curriculum

Explicit instructions for teaching the skills—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—are provided in 30 lesson plans, complete with numerous reproducibles: 99 handouts, a diary card, and three student tests. Training and lesson plans for the delivery of DBT Skills in Schools is included in the manual and is also available through the developers of DBT Skills in Schools. Go to the DBT Skills in Schools site to register for training or order the manual. Available trainings can be found via the banner at the top of their page.

Summary

Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A). Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills have been demonstrated to be effective in helping adolescents manage difficult emotional situations, cope with stress, and make better decisions. From leading experts in DBT and school-based interventions, this unique manual offers the first nonclinical application of DBT skills. The book presents an innovative social-emotional learning curriculum designed to be taught by general education teachers or other school personnel in grades 6-12. Explicit instructions for teaching the skills—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—are provided in 30 lesson plans, complete with numerous reproducibles: 99 handouts, a diary card, and three student tests.

Rubric and Standards

Mental Health Literacy Components

Decreasing stigma

Understanding how to foster and maintain positive mental health

Understanding how to seek help effectively

Understanding mental health disorders and their treatments

High School Learning Standards

Advocate for reducing stigma associated with emotional and mental and behavioral health

Compare & contrast emotional, mental-behavioral illness, mental well-being and concurrent disorders

Describe how self-harm or suicide impacts other people

Describe laws related to minors accessing mental health care

Explain how to help someone who is thinking about attempting suicide

Identify school and community resources that can help a person with emotional, mental and behavioral health concerns

Implementation

Program Material Cost

$45 per teacher (manual)

Modality

Classroom Curriculum

Setting

Ideally, health and wellness classes. However, it can be taught in any class or as a stand alone class.

Grade Level(s)

Middle

High

Evidence

Publication Types

1 Peer-Reviewed Publication

Study Types

Quasi-Experimental

Study Samples

72 female Irish High School Students (15-16 years old)

Major Findings

For students receiving DBT STEPS-A intervention, there was a significant improvement with respect to two of the four outcome measures (Emotion Symptom Index and Internalising Problems). A statistically significant treatment effect for Emotion Symptom Index and Internalising Problems was also reported (p<.0125).

Published Studies