DBT-Based Parenting Intervention for Parents of Youth at Risk for Suicide
Condition: Adolescent - Emotional Problem; Suicide and Self-harm; Parenting
MeSH terms: Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of the present study is to conduct a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of an
      8-10 session DBT-based parenting intervention (DBT PI) plus standard Dialectical Behavior
      Therapy delivered in the context of an intensive outpatient program (DBT IOP) to DBT IOP
      alone. The long term goal of the research is to determine if augmenting standard DBT with
      additional parenting intervention improves youth treatment response on suicide-related
      outcomes (i.e., suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts). The goal
      of this pilot RCT is to collect preliminary data needed for a larger RCT, including
      feasibility, acceptability, safety, tolerability, engagement of the presumed mechanism of
      change (changes in parent emotions and behaviors) and signal detection of any changes in
      youth suicide-related outcomes.
    

Detailed description: 
      The present study is a pilot RCT of a DBT parenting intervention (DBT PI). The investigators
      will enroll N = 40 pairs of youth and parents enrolled in a DBT intensive outpatient program
      that delivers standard DBT (DBT IOP). This program, called the RISE program, is jointly run
      by Stanford and Children's Health Council (CHC). CHC is a community mental health clinic
      located in Palo Alto and is where the IOP is housed. All research procedures will be
      conducted by Stanford faculty and staff. Parents and youth who provide informed consent will
      be randomly assigned to receive the DBT PI + DBT IOP or DBT IOP only. Parents assigned to the
      DBT PI + DBT IOP will be offered 10 sessions of DBT-based parenting interventions. Youth will
      participate in study assessments only and will not receive additional treatment as part of
      the study (i.e., they will receive DBT IOP only). Study participation is optional and will
      not impact the family's ability to participate in the DBT IOP. Youth will be enrolled in the
      IOP program as part of standard clinical practices, regardless of whether or not they choose
      to participate in the study. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3-month follow-up
      (end of DBT IOP program) and 6 month follow-up. Both parents will be encouraged to take part
      in the intervention, however; the participation of only one parent will be required. The
      intervention will consist of 8-10 individual parent sessions, to be completed within one week
      after the teen completes the IOP program. Sessions will be 1 hour in length and will be
      offered weekly. Therapists may see parents more than once a week if needed, as long as the
      total number of sessions does not exceed 10. Sessions will follow the standard agenda used
      for DBT skills training: 1) mindfulness practice, 2) homework review, 3) teaching of a new
      skill; 4) practice of the new skill; and 5) assignment of new homework (Linehan, 1993). The
      intervention will utilize the Middle Path module from the DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents
      (Rathus & Miller, 2015), which was created by the developers of DBT for adolescents and
      includes both instructions for therapists and handouts for clients.
    

Intervention name(s): DBT-Based Parenting Intervention; Treatment as Usual
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention will consist of 8-10 individual parent sessions, to be completed within one week after the teen completes the IOP program. Sessions will be 1 hour in length and will be offered weekly. Therapists may see parents more than once a week if needed, as long as the total number of sessions does not exceed 10. Sessions will follow the standard agenda used for DBT skills training: 1) mindfulness practice, 2) homework review, 3) teaching of a new skill; 4) practice of the new skill; and 5) assignment of new homework (Linehan, 1993). The intervention will utilize the Middle Path module of the DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents (Rathus & Miller, 2015), which was created by the developers of DBT for adolescents and includes both instructions for therapists and handouts for clients.; No parenting intervention provided beyond standard practices in DBT IOP program.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment