A multifamily group for adolescents with emotion regulation difficulties: Adolescent, parent and clinician experiences.

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Authors

Cleary, R
Houghton, S
O'Driscoll Lawrie, C
Dowling, C
O'Hanrahan, K
Devoy, S

Issue Date

2024-07-04

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Article

Language

en

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Research Subject Categories::MEDICINE::Psychiatry::Child and adolescent psychiatry , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Social work::Family research

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Abstract

Background: Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) has been successfully adapted foruse with adolescents experiencing difficulties associated with the maladaptive un-dercontrol of emotion. However, clinical observation and research findings suggestthat adolescents may exhibit traits of both undercontrol and overcontrol—whereover-regulation of emotion predominates. In the adult population, distinct groups ofindividuals with under- and overcontrolled regulation styles can be identified, andtreatments such as Group Radical Openness (GRO) have shown promise in treatingdifficulties associated with the latter. However, there are difficulties identifying dis-tinct groups of under- and overcontrolled adolescents. Aims: The present study therefore sought to qualitatively explore the experiences ofparticipants (adolescents and parents) and facilitators of an intervention integratingDBT for adolescents’ skills training with GRO. Method: Six adolescents, seven parents and six clinicians completed semi- structuredinterviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Nine themes and six sub-themes were generated. Findings: Findings suggested that an intervention of this type may have particularutility for adolescents with emotion regulation difficulties in the context of both over-control and undercontrol. Participants described improvements in symptoms and re-lational functioning, which they attributed to the development of a shared languagefor communicating about emotion and the multifamily group context within whichthe intervention was delivered. Findings also emphasised the utility of rolling groups. Discussion: Further research investigating the efficacy of this intervention is war-ranted. Strengths, limitations, future directions and implications for practice arediscussed.

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Cleary, R., Houghton, S., O’Driscoll Lawrie, C., Dowling, C., O'Hanrahan, K., & Devoy, S. (2024). A multifamily group for adolescents with emotion regulation difficulties: Adolescent, parent and clinician experiences. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.

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Counselling and Psychotherapy Research.

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1473-3145

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