(PS5-B34) Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of the THINK Skill: A New DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skill for Teens and Caregivers

Friday, November 18, 2022

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Westside Ballroom, 5th Floor

Author(s)

SI

Stefanie M. Iwanciw, Psy.D.

Clinical Psychologist
Long Island University Post
Mineola, New York

Co-Author(s)

LB

Loey Bromberg, M.S.

Doctoral Student
Long Island University
Brooklyn, New York
Desiree L. Curcio, Psy.D.

Clinical Psychologist
Long Island University
Lindenhurst, New York
JR

Jill H. Rathus, Ph.D.

Co-Director and Psychologist
Cognitive Behavioral Associates
Great Neck, New York

Miller and Rathus adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for a transdiagnostic multi-problem adolescent population (Miller, Rathus, & Linehan, 2007; Rathus & Miller, 2002), with an eye toward modifications based on adolescent development and context. One adaptation was the creation of the THINK skill as an addition to the Interpersonal Effectiveness skills module. The THINK skill, developed to increase perspective taking and enhance family interactions, was based on cognitive theory including social information processing and hostile attribution bias (Crick & Dodge, 1994). The goal of the THINK skill is to correct negative assumptions by taking others’ perspectives into account and considering benign interpretations for their actions before responding (Rathus & Miller, 2015). In doing so, the skill also aims to reduce negative emotions, increase effective interpersonal behaviors, and enhance a dialectical perspective. The purpose of the current study was to determine feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the THINK skill. Participants included 26 DBT-A clients, made up of 11 adolescents and 15 caregivers who were attending comprehensive outpatient DBT-A treatment in suburban New York. In addition to determining feasibility of delivering the skill and adherence to its teaching points based on the DBT-A manual, the researcher assessed families before and after learning the THINK skill to evaluate acceptability of the skill and its impact on emotions, attributions, and skillful response generation in hypothetical family conflicts. For the pre-post methodology, participants were presented with three vignettes of hypothetical family conflicts that were accompanied by a multi-part measure put together for use in this study that was made up of quantitative and qualitative measures of emotions, attributions, and skill use and knowledge. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and paired samples t-tests to compare responses on the pre-post measure. The THINK skill was found highly feasible and adherent in teaching by clinicians, as well as highly acceptable to families. Pre-post findings included significant reductions in negative emotions, significant reductions in selected negative attributions, and significant improvements in skill generation following learning THINK. These results indicate preliminary support for the effectiveness of THINK in improving skillful responses in teen-parent conflicts.