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Application of an Exploratory DBT-Based Psychotherapy Program for Suicide-Related Symptoms in Chinese Outpatients With Affective Disorders.

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Title: Application of an Exploratory DBT-Based Psychotherapy Program for Suicide-Related Symptoms in Chinese Outpatients With Affective Disorders.
Authors: Hu C; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Chen J; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Wang Z; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Zhou X; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Yang Y; Oberlin College and Conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio, USA., Li S; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Zhang R; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Lai J; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Hu J; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Huang M; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China., Hu S; The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
Source: Brain and behavior [Brain Behav] 2026 Oct; Vol. 16 (10), pp. e71827.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101570837 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2162-3279 (Electronic) NLM ISO Abbreviation: Brain Behav Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons
MeSH Terms: Mood Disorders*/therapy , Mood Disorders*/psychology , Mood Disorders*/drug therapy , Dialectical Behavior Therapy*/methods , Suicide Prevention*, Suicide/psychology ; Depression/therapy ; Anxiety/therapy ; Humans ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Pilot Projects ; Outpatients ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; China ; Young Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Suicidal Ideation ; East Asian People
Abstract: Objective: This exploratory pilot study aimed to examine the potential effects of a shortened, individually delivered dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)-based intervention added to pharmacotherapy on suicide-related outcomes among Chinese outpatients with affective disorders.
Methods: Twenty-one participants recruited from the psychiatric outpatient clinics of the First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, were randomly assigned to two groups. Participants in the research group received pharmacotherapy plus a shortened, individually delivered DBT-based intervention, whereas those in the control group received pharmacotherapy alone. Participants completed baseline assessments, 12 weeks of treatment, and 12 weeks of follow-up, with assessments performed every 4 weeks. Outcomes included suicide risk or severity, depression, anxiety, and hopelessness assessed using self-report scales.
Results: After adjustment for baseline values using repeated-measures analysis of covariance (RM-ANCOVA), the between-group effect on suicide risk showed a marginal trend favoring the DBT-based psychotherapy group, but did not reach conventional statistical significance (F = 4.26, p = 0.054). The time effect (F = 0.234, p = 0.965) and time-by-group interaction (F = 1.306, p = 0.261) for suicide risk were not statistically significant. Depressive symptoms showed a significant time effect across the follow-up period, whereas most suicide-related and hopelessness outcomes were not statistically significant. These findings should be interpreted as preliminary because of the small sample size and baseline imbalance.
Conclusion: The results provided preliminary pilot evidence that a shortened DBT-based intervention may be feasible and potentially beneficial as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in this clinical population. However, the primary suicide-risk outcome did not show a statistically significant between-group effect. Larger adequately powered trials with baseline-adjusted analyses and more comprehensive outcome assessment are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
(© 2026 The Author(s). Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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Grant Information: LGC22H090001 Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: DBT; affective disorders; psychotherapy; suicide
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20261001 Date Completed: 20261001 Latest Revision: 20261001
Update Code: 20261001
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.71827
PMID: 42817048
Database: MEDLINE
Description
ISSN:2162-3279
DOI:10.1002/brb3.71827