5 - (SYM 38) Development and Pilot Testing of a Culturally Adapted Single Session Intervention for Black Women

Culturally-informed models of emotion dysregulation highlight how, for Black women, intersectional stress contributes to specific emotion beliefs and regulation (ER) styles which confer risk. In these models, the Superwoman/Strong Black Woman schema, a cognitive system of over-control and associated tendencies to avoid or suppress emotions, emerge as specific risk factors for both emotional disturbance and underutilization of mental healthcare. While these emotion responses may confer long-term risk, in the short-term they exemplify ways Black women build self-efficacy and effectively navigate environmental threats. Given the unique and nuanced experiences of Black women, cultural-adaptation of emotion regulation treatment that alter the conceptualization of distress, specific skill content, and delivery format (Helm & Kohrt, 2019) of traditional treatment may be vital to encouraging buy-in and increasing real-world effectiveness. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) further presents as a promising approach to navigating the dialectical dilemmas fueled by oppression (Oshin & Rizvi, 2025) and may be further lend itself to abbreviation. This project first iteratively developed a culturally-adapted DBT ER skills single-session intervention, using focus group methodology and expert consultation. The 60-minute, clinician-led intervention focuses on 1) The Biopsychosocial model incorporating identity stress 2) Dialectics of SBW beliefs 3) Reducing emotional vulnerability by addressing bodily needs and 4) Behavioral strategies to reduce negative and increase positive emotions. Black women aged 18-65 (n = 40) who endorsed experiencing racial stress and emotion dysregulation, were recruited nationally to participate in a pilot trial. We hypothesize that following the intervention participants will experience improvements in primary clinical mechanisms (e.g., perceived control) and at a 1-week follow-up will experience improvements in secondary clinical outcomes (e.g., mindfulness, anxiety). We will further examine whether engaging in this brief treatment intervention encourages readiness and motivation for future treatment. Data collection will be completed by March 2025, however initial qualitative and quantitative acceptability outcomes were strong, with participants indicating alignment between the intervention and their beliefs, values, and experiences. Rationale and methods for cultural-adaptation, full treatment protocol, and findings from the pilot trial will be presented.