Enhanced Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents

Suicide is a leading cause of death and significant concerns for adolescents and young adults. Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that effectively reduces life-threatening behaviors. Limited research examines the impact of adding individualized skills coaching sessions (ISCS) to the DBT-A model, a novel intervention referred to in this paper as "Enhanced DBT-A". This study evaluates the effectiveness of Enhanced DBT-A in reducing suicidality over 1 year of treatment in an outpatient and intensive outpatient setting.