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

NCT ID: NCT07088939

Last Updated: 2025-07-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-07-20
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-31

Brief 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

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Internet-delivered, self-guided dialectical behavior therapy

Treatment arm

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

dialectical behavior therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Interventions

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Ages 18 years old and up.
• Reside in Ontario.
• Fluent in English.
• Able to provide autonomous informed consent
• Reports at least mild depression and/or anxiety symptoms
• Not currently receiving any psychotherapy or psychosocial interventions.
• Have access to the internet

Exclusion Criteria

• Practical (e.g., scheduling), acute psychiatric (e.g., suicidal ideation nearly every day, recent hospitalization for mental health reasons), or medical reasons (e.g., upcoming surgery, medical procedure, head injury).

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Windsor

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Alexander Daros

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of Windsor

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Alexander Daros, Ph.D., C.Psych.

Role: CONTACT

alexd1@uwindsor.ca

519-253-3000 ext. 2236

Riad El-karout

Role: CONTACT

dbtresearch@uwindsor.ca

Facility Contacts

Alexander Daros, Ph.D., C.Psych.

Role: primary

alexd1@uwindsor.ca

519-253-3000 ext. 2236

Other Identifiers

25-025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id