Effects of dialectical behavior therapy skills training on outcomes for mental health staff in a child and adolescent residential setting

A clinical follow-up study of dialectical behavior therapy skills groups among female adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorder

Our aim was to evaluate longitudinal data for adolescents who were treated with Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT) skills groups having been previously diagnosed with depressive disorder. Intervention with an observational cross-sectional design was implemented to evaluate the treatment outcome of a 10-week DBT skills groups with female adolescents with depression. After the patients were identified for enrollment, parents and adolescents were evaluated with psychometric measurements pre-, post-intervention, and at one-year follow-up. Repeated measures analysis was undertaken with the Child Depression Inventory (CDI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for participants. Statistical significance was detected for self-report CDI scores and both self-report and parent SDQ and PedsQL scores. This study is the first DBT intervention in Turkish children, shows that a group DBT skills groups training can be adapted and put into practice successfully with depressed Turkish adolescents.

Mental Health Workers' Attitudes Towards Individuals With a Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

The attitudes of mental health workers toward individuals with mental health conditions can impact the quality of care they provide. Negative attitudes among mental health workers seem particularly common in response to people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The current review aimed to identify and review the literature regarding mental health workers' attitudes toward individuals diagnosed with BPD, specifically focusing on studies comparing workers' attitudes toward BPD with attitudes toward other mental health diagnoses. The findings suggest that mental health workers have more negative attitudes toward individuals labeled as having BPD than toward individuals with other diagnoses, such as depression. This is likely due to factors associated with the label itself, in addition to workers' perceptions of BPD symptoms and previous experiences of delivering treatment. The implications of these findings are considered, with a particular focus on how mental health services can effectively address negative attitudes toward BPD.

A mixed methods exploratory evaluation of burnout in frontline staff implementing dialectical behavior therapy on a pediatric eating disorders unit

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders are life-threatening illnesses that commonly affect adolescents. The treatment of individuals with eating disorders can involve slow treatment progression and addressing comorbidities which can contribute to staff burnout. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has emerged as a viable treatment option and has reduced staff burnout in several other settings. Our aim was to describe frontline staff burnout using mixed methodology on a DBT-trained combined inpatient/day hospital unit for pediatric eating disorders.

METHOD

Frontline staff were trained to provide DBT skills for adolescents with eating disorders. Twelve months following the training and implementation, they completed the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) and a qualitative interview. Directed and summative content analyses were used.

RESULTS

Eleven frontline staff including nurses, child life specialists and child and youth workers participated. The CBI revealed that only one staff member experienced high personal burnout, while another experienced high client-related burnout. Qualitative data indicated that all frontline staff felt DBT had the potential to reduce burnout.

CONCLUSION

Qualitative data indicate that staff believe that DBT may hold promise in reducing burnout for pediatric frontline staff who treat children and adolescents with eating disorders. Further study is needed. Understanding burnout is particularly important for nursing staff in inpatient and day hospital settings for eating disorders, as nursing staff generally have the most frequent patient contact; thought to be a risk factor for burnout. The reduction of burnout can prevent detrimental effects on job performance, personal well-being, and patient outcomes. Our exploratory study shows that frontline staff believe that DBT may have the potential to reduce burnout in staff treating children and adolescents with eating disorders in a combined inpatient/day hospital setting. Further study is needed in this area.

Examining the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the main outcome measure used in mentalization-based therapy skills training

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Multiple national guidelines stress the importance for clinicians to possess good therapeutic skills for working with patients with significant relational difficulties (who may receive a diagnosis of personality disorder). Training clinicians in mentalization-based treatment skills (MBT-S) is one approach to address this. The main outcome measure used in MBT-S studies is the Knowledge and Application of MBT Questionnaire (KAMQ). However, an absence of research into the properties and validity of the KAMQ has limited the methodological quality of MBT-S evaluations so far. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the factor structure, internal consistency, reliability, and validity of the KAMQ.

METHODS

Using an existing multiprofessional sample of 217 clinicians from 2014 to 2016, we undertook exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure and internal consistency of the KAMQ. Convergent validity of the measure with the Attitudes to Personality Disorder Questionnaire (APDQ) was assessed in a subset of this dataset where both questionnaires had been administered (n = 92). Additionally, by recruiting a new sample of 70 clinicians, we assessed the measure's test-retest reliability.

RESULTS

Factor analysis found three factors underlying 17 of the 20 KAMQ items, relating to therapeutic skills in mentalizing, beliefs about applying MBT in practice, and specific MBT knowledge. The KAMQ was revised following the factor analysis to form the KAMQ-2 with 17 items. Internal consistency (α = .85, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80-0.89) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.73-0.91) were good. In correlation analyses, the KAMQ-2 showed convergent validity with the main factor from the APDQ (n = 48; r s = 0.39, P < .01).

CONCLUSION

The KAMQ-2 provides a short, reliable self-report instrument which probes clinicians' knowledge about mentalizing skills, and beliefs about using these. There was preliminary evidence for validity. The properties of the KAMQ-2 mean that more robust evaluation and development of MBT-S is now possible.