Photo credit: Futures Without Violence
This study evaluates the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a college course to improve mental health and wellness in college students. We collect acceptability data from students (e.g., number of class meetings attended, feedback about the course) to determine how acceptable the intervention is from the student standpoint. Students receiving the course are compared to those in the control group (students not enrolled in the course) on outcomes related to mental health (e.g., emotion regulation, use of DBT skills, suicidal ideation and behaviors, etc.) to determine the extent to which receiving the course impacts relevant mental health outcomes among participants.
The course uses the skill-building aspects of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). DBT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy. This course is not therapy and only focuses on the skills-building arm of DBT.