(PS5-A17) Are We Regulating Yet? Examining the Acceptability and Feasibility of a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group Within a Jail

Gaining and improving effective coping skills are considered to be a primary treatment objective among jail inmates. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993) skills groups are targeted treatments to address these deficits through skills focused on: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. While DBT skills groups are relatively available in community-based settings, few have been implemented in forensic settings, with even the majority of these existing in prison settings rather than jails. This general lack of services and availability of programming focused on addressing coping skills deficits has likely contributed to the “revolving door” phenomenon in jails in which 1 in every 4 individuals incarcerated in a jail will be rearrested within a single calendar year (Baillargeon et al., 2009; Sawyer & Wagner, 2020). This ultimately results in nearly 4 million individuals reentering the criminal legal system every year, far exceeding even the rate of rearrest found in prison samples (Williams et al., 2010). This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a DBT skills group in a jail setting. Male and female participants currently incarcerated in a Florida jail engaged in a 6-week (12 sessions) DBT skills group and completed post-group ratings of their satisfaction with the group, their engagement in their diary cards and homework, as well as their feelings towards the group leaders and the DBT materials. Participants ratings were scored on a 5-point Likert scale 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Across questionnaires, the 139 preliminary participants rated their attentiveness (M=4.81, SD=.60), participation (M=4.80, SD=.59), and their understanding of the DBT materials (M=4.74, SD=.61) strongly. Additionally, participants reported a high level of agreement with the goals of the DBT treatment (M=4.90, SD=.50). Clinicians further rated participants’ engagement in the treatment sessions as well as their daily diary card and homework for both effort and completeness. Further analyses examining the acceptability of the DBT skills group through session attendance in addition to participants’ individual ratings will be presented. Additionally, further findings on feasibility measured by both attrition rates, percentage of participants that reached adequate dose (6 sessions), and clinician ratings of homework and treatment engagement will be presented. Finally, fidelity as measured by clinicians’ adherence to DBT will be discussed. Our preliminary data from a large RCT study exemplifies not only the acceptability of a DBT skills groups amongst those incarcerated in jail but also the relatively high engagement with the materials and alignment with the goals of DBT present in participants. Although several logistical issues arose during the collection of this initial data, preliminary results suggest that a brief DBT skills group is both feasible and acceptable in a jail setting. Additional findings including participant testimonials and skills preferences to be discussed.