A study on the effects of combined DBT and STEPPS interventions for adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury: a randomized controlled trial.

Résumé

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether an integrated Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (DBT + STEPPS) programme is more effective than DBT alone or conventional treatment in reducing non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and improving emotion regulation, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among adolescents with depression and NSSI.METHODS: This study recruited 192 adolescent patients with non-suicidal self-injury between March 2024 and February 2025, and they were randomly divided into the Control Group (conventional intervention), Intervention Group A (DBT intervention), and Intervention Group B (DBT combined with STEPPS intervention). Patients' self-harm behaviors, emotional regulation strategy capabilities, and severity of illness were assessed both prior to intervention and within 48 h post-intervention. Data analysis employed one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis H test, test, or Fisher's exact test.RESULTS: Intervention Group B exhibited lower NSSI behavior scores than both Intervention Group A and the control group, while Intervention Group A scored lower than the control group (