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The Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on the Domains of Early Maladaptive Schemas and High-Risk Behaviors in Adolescents
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Akbar Jadidi Mohammadabadi *1    , Seyed Fazel Torabi2 |
1- Associate Professor, Educational Sciences Department, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran and Visiting Lecturer, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
2- Clinical psychology, Arak Branch, Medical Sciences School, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran |
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Abstract: (21 Views) |
Introduction: Despite the growing evidence for the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in clinical populations, its application in non-clinical settings and on concurrent variables such as schemas and high-risk behaviors in Iranian adolescents has been less investigated.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on various domains of early maladaptive schemas and high-risk behaviors in adolescents in Rafsanjan.
Material and Methods: The present study was applied in terms of purpose and employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population included all adolescents in Rafsanjan during the first half of 2024. The research sample consisted of 30 adolescents from Rafsanjan, who were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). The intervention was implemented based on Linehan's Dialectical Behavior Therapy model (2002), and data were collected using the High-Risk Behaviors Questionnaire (Shafiei, 2013) and the Young Schema Questionnaire – Short Form (1998). For data analysis, Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used.
Results: The findings of the present study indicated that dialectical behavior therapy had a significant effect (P<0.001), F (1.27) = 212.35, on reducing the scores of various domains of early maladaptive schemas and high-risk behaviors in the experimental group compared to the control group. The results showed that dialectical behavior therapy had the greatest impact on reducing the domain of impaired autonomy/performance, accounting for 59% of the variance, and the least impact on reducing impaired limits. Furthermore, the results indicated that dialectical behavior therapy explained 88.7% of the variance in reducing high-risk behaviors among adolescents. The mean and standard deviation of the experimental group decreased from the pretest stage (M=130.2±4.13) to the posttest stage (M=105.4±4.4); however, in the control group, the mean and standard deviation did not change considerably from the pretest stage (M=130.87±1.95) to the posttest stage (M=130.47±4.95).
Conclusion: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by significantly reducing the domains of early maladaptive schemas and high-risk behaviors in adolescents, is introduced as an effective intervention in non-clinical settings. It is recommended that this therapeutic approach be integrated into school-based programs and counseling centers, and that future studies with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes examine the sustainability of its effects.
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| Keywords: Adolescents, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Early Maladaptive Schemas, Risky Behaviors |
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Full-Text [PDF 551 kb]
(1 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Psychology
Received: 2025/01/12 | Revised: 2026/11/3 | Accepted: 2025/11/2 | Published: 2026/06/30
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