Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children in Residential Care

Specific Aim 1: Examine feasibility of DBT-C by evaluating response rate in treatment
attendance, treatment satisfaction, and any differences in these rates by groups.

Hypothesis 1: DBT-C will be equivalent to TAU in attendance rate and will have significantly
greater treatment satisfaction rating by subjects, as well as by therapists and milieu staff.

Specific Aim 2: Examine efficacy of DBT-C as compared to TAU in reducing internalizing and
externalizing symptoms.

Hypothesis 2: Children in DBT-C condition as compared to TAU will have significantly fewer
internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

Specific Aim 3: Examine efficacy of DBT-C in improving adaptive coping, emotion regulation,
risk taking, and social skills, and reducing depression.

Hypothesis 3: Children in DBT-C Training condition as compared to TAU will have significantly
greater improvement in adaptive coping skills, emotion regulation, risk taking and
impulsivity and social skills, and reducing depressive symptoms.

Specific Aim 4: Examine efficacy of DBT-C in reducing the frequency of critical incidents.

Hypothesis 4: Children in DBT-C condition as compared to TAU will have significantly fewer
critical incidents, including psychiatric hospitalization, emergency room visits, total
number of days inpatient, suicidal ideations and attempts, self-harm behaviors, sexual acting
out, running away, stealing, police involvement, etc.

Inclusion Criteria:

- age between 6 years 0 months and 12 years 11 months;

- male;

- in residential care at Green Chimneys;

- projected length of stay is at least 8 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

- pervasive developmental disorder;

- psychotic disorder;

- mental retardation; (all as per psychiatric evaluation at Green Chimneys);

- in care or custody of the Department of Social Services (DSS);

- caregivers do not speak English.