The following is a summary of “Factors associated with the implementation of dialectical behavior therapy by Spanish speaking mental health professionals who treat suicide risk,” published in the November 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Navarro-Haro et al.
Lack of training in suicide risk management hinders effective intervention. Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive TrainingTM (DBT-IT) has shown promise in improving DBT implementation, but its impact on Spanish-speaking therapists remains unexplored.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess the effect of DBT-IT on therapists’ attitudes toward suicide risk and examined its impact on DBT implementation before and after training.
They included 242 mental health workers (76.4% women, mean age 35.38, SD = 9.17; 77.7% from Latin America, 22.3% from Spain) who received DBT-IT. They measured self-efficacy, concerns about treating suicidal clients, perceived burnout, confidence in DBT application, barriers to implementation, and DBT implementation using online surveys at 2 points: pre-training and post-training (9 months after implementation).
The results showed significant improvements in self-efficacy, concerns about suicide treatment, and confidence in applying DBT after training. Increases were found in DBT treatment modes implementation, mindfulness practice, and team consultation hours. Positive correlations were observed between burnout, concerns about suicidal clients, and implementation barriers. Higher self-efficacy and confidence were linked to better DBT implementation, while more barriers were associated with fewer consultation team meetings and phone coaching.
They found that DBT-IT effectively increased self-efficacy and confidence in treating suicide risk among Spanish-speaking mental health professionals. It also facilitated the implementation of DBT treatment modes in their practice.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-06243-8
