(PS6-95) Changes in Skill Use Amongst Participants with Racial Trauma After Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training: Identifying Potential Mechanisms of Change

Abstract Text: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a transdiagnostic intervention that specializes in reducing emotion regulation difficulties and increasing access to effective coping strategies. By providing clients with the skills necessary for managing their emotions while navigating potentially invalidating environments, DBT is an effective treatment for a range of mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety. DBT may also be effective for treating racial trauma, the traumatic stress response that can develop amongst people of color (POC) after experiencing racial discrimination. Racial discrimination can be considered a type of invalidating environment that POC are constantly exposed to. Additionally, exposure to racial discrimination is associated with a number of strong emotions, such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, DBT may be effective at treating racial trauma by providing POC with skills to manage their emotions while navigating invalidating environments in which racial discrimination is present. One possible mechanism of change is that treatment with DBT increases the use of healthy coping strategies and reduces the use of dysfunctional coping strategies.

In the current study, we assessed changes in coping strategies in POC with racial trauma after receiving DBT adapted for the treatment of racial trauma. Adaptations included supplementing DBT skills with psychoeducation about racism and integrating tailored race-related examples when teaching the skills. Participants received 12-14 weekly DBT sessions and completed a battery of measures, including the DBT Ways of Coping Checklist, at pre- and post-treatment. Data collection is ongoing; preliminary data analysis has been conducted amongst treatment completers thus far (n = 5). Paired samples t-test reveal no significant change on the DBT skill use subscale before (M = 1.8, SD = 0.54) and after (M = 1.9, SD = 0.66) treatment, t(4) = -0.801, p = 0.234, or the blaming others subscale before (M = 1.4, SD = 0.80) and after (M = 0.93, SD = 0.63) treatment, t(4) = 0.839, p = 0.224. There was a significant difference on the general dysfunctional coping subscale before (M = 2.0, SD = 0.31) and after (M = 1.3, SD = 0.58) treatment, t(4) = 2.288, p = 0.042.

Our preliminary results suggest that participants with racial trauma reported benefits after receiving DBT not because of improvements in healthy coping skill use or changes in blame, but because of reductions in dysfunctional coping skill use. In other words, POC with racial trauma may be using dysfunctional coping strategies to manage their interactions with racism and the resulting emotions, which may be exacerbating or maintaining their distress. DBT adapted for racial trauma may be effective in reducing dysfunctional coping due to its focus on mindfulness, specifically effectiveness. However, our ability to draw concrete conclusions from our preliminary data is limited due to the small sample size. During this poster presentation, we will present our full findings, conclusions, and limitations. Our findings have the potential to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of DBT for the treatment of racial trauma and will be crucial in developing evidence-based treatments for racial trauma in the future.