NCT07088939

Feasibility and Acceptability of an E-learning Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Course

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Self-guided Internet-delivered Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intervention for Adults With Mental Health Challenges

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Windsor · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive, third-wave psychological intervention designed for patients with complex and severe behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal dysfunction. DBT has since been adapted to shorter, briefer, "skills training" formats, which have been effective for a number of mild-to-moderate mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Moreover, internet-delivered formats of DBT (iDBT) have similarly started to build support for their effectiveness, although there are fewer studies on digital formats. One study found that over 12 weeks, iDBT was deemed acceptable (e.g., 50% of participants were still active after 4 weeks) and there were improvements in multiple symptom domains, such as depression, anxiety, suicidality, functional disability, as well as alcohol and substance dependence. In the current study, the investigators will examine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a new iDBT intervention, packaged as an online e-learning skills course, with adult participants. The study is a pilot trial as iDBT has never been tested in this format through formal research. Thus, this pilot study aims to examine whether this course is usable, practical, and potentially useful to others in the future. The investigators will recruit up to 40 individuals with mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety for an 8-week study. Following a phone screen to determine eligibility, participants will complete a baseline session where they will provide consent, complete a brief interview and questionnaires, and register for the e-learning skills course. Over the course of 8 weeks, participants will be exposed to material adapted from a DBT manual in a self-guided manner. Participants will complete follow-up assessments at 4 and 8 weeks.

Conditions

• Depression - Major Depressive Disorder
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stress
• Mood Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	dialectical behavior therapy	This internet-delivered dialectical behavior therapy (iDBT) intervention consists of an e-learning course with 4 modules based on the 4 areas of skills training in dialectical behavior therapy: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Participants can work through the modules at a self-guided pace to learn more than 30 specific skills using psychoeducational materials. The intervention incorporates psychoeducational elements of skills training with introductory videos, interactive quizzes, practice and homework suggestions, as well as quotes and videos from individuals with lived experience. In preliminary testing, it was estimated to take approximately 8-10 hours to complete all material.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-07-20
• Primary completion: 2025-12-31
• Completion: 2026-01-31
• First posted: 2025-07-28
• Last updated: 2025-07-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada