The effect of dialectical behavior therapy on emotion regulation, psychological resilience, psychological well-being and life satisfaction in young adults

Studies that have addressed emotion regulation as an umbrella term encompassing symptoms have mostly focused on improving difficulties in regulating negative emotions. Many researchers have recommended that future studies focus on difficulties in the regulation of positive emotions. It has been stated that up-regulation of positive emotions may enhance psychological well-being, psychological resilience and life satisfaction, and may play a significant role in preventing relapses. This study, designed in accordance with research recommendations and gaps in literature, consisted of two stages. In the first stage, difficulties in emotion regulation were evaluated in relation to sociodemographic variables and their effects on the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. In the second stage, twelve-week Dialectical Behavior Therapy Group Skills Training (DBT-GST) and Cognitive Behavioral Group Skills Training (CBT-GST) were administrated to young adults who had difficulties in emotion regulation and at the end of the interventions, positive and negative emotion intensity, difficulties in negative and positive emotion regulation, mindfulness, depression, anxiety and stress, psychological well-being, psychological resilience and life satisfaction scores were measured, and the effects of skill use frequency were examined. The participants in the first study included 509 adults aged between 18 and 76; the participants in the second study consisted of 29 young adults aged between 18 and 30. These participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. No intervention was applied to the waiting list. The scales used in the study were the sociodemographic information form, DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Adult Version, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Perth Emotion Regulation Competency Inventory, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scale and The Satisfaction with Life Scale. In addition, an online Diary Card was shared with the participants in the intervention groups every day. According to the findings, young adults, individuals with low and lower-middle income levels and single individuals were identified as risk groups in terms of difficulties in emotion regulation. The categories of emotion regulation difficulties influencing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were identified as difficulties in controlling experience, inhibiting dominant behavior and activating non-dominant behavior in the presence of both negative and positive emotions. As a result of the DBT-GST and CBT-GST interventions, significant decreases were observed in negative emotions, emotion regulation difficulties, depression, anxiety, and stress levels; while significant increases were noted in positive emotions, mindfulness, psychological resilience, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction. These changes were statistically significant compared to the waitlist group. When skill use frequency was controlled as a covariate, the significant within- and between-group differences disappeared, indicating that skill use plays an important role in the effects of the interventions. In addition, these participants were asked open-ended questions about which skills they used and how often, after the interventions were applied. Finally, the differences between DBT-GST and CBT-GST on certain subscales were discussed.