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This study will offer the first formal assessment for SV prevention in the CHC setting. Clinical Trials #: NCT02355470.

The present study examined mechanisms of change in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills group and positive psychotherapy (PPT) group intervention, two treatments that have previously been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms of BPD and depression over a 12-week treatment protocol within the context of a college counseling center (Uliaszek et al., 2016). The present study is secondary data analysis of that trial. We hypothesized that change in dysfunctional coping skills use would be a specific mechanism for DBT, while change in functional coping skills use and therapeutic alliance would be mechanisms of change for both treatments. Fifty-four participants completed self-report and interview-based assessments at pretreatment, weeks 3, 6, 9, and posttreatment. Path models examined the predictive power of the mechanisms in predicting outcome; the moderating effect of group membership was also explored. Dysfunctional coping skills use across the course of treatment was a significant mechanism of change for BPD and depression for the DBT group, but not the PPT group. Conversely, therapeutic alliance was a significant mechanism of change for the PPT group, but not the DBT group. Findings highlight the importance of each mechanism during mid-to late-treatment specifically.

Background. Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) experience health inequities compared with cisgender heterosexuals, and these inequities are heightened in areas with high structural stigma. Quantitative research shows school assets (e.g., adult support) are associated with better health for SGMY. Though some qualitative studies elucidated how school staff support SGMY, none have triangulated such strategies in a geographically and sociodemographically diverse sample of school staff and SGMY. This paper describes a multi-perspective qualitative study design and offers lessons learned from conducting such a study. Methods. Using a novel stratified sampling frame, we interviewed 60 SGMY and 29 school staff who attended/worked at high schools in U.S. states with low, medium, and high structural stigma. To ensure sociodemographic diversity, we constructed sampling quotas, and recruited SGMY using social media and staff using a multi-pronged approach. Results. The stratified sampling strategy met our goal of enrolling diverse SGMY and staff participants. SGMY participants attended schools in low ( n = 20), medium ( n = 22), and high ( n = 18) structural stigma states. We enrolled 18 cisgender girls, 18 cisgender boys, and 24 gender minority youth. Fifty-three percent of SGMY were youth of color, and 45% attended schools in rural areas. School staff participants worked at schools in low ( n = 11), medium ( n = 11), and high ( n = 7) structural stigma states. School staff participants were 55% heterosexual, 91% cisgender, and had diverse roles (e.g., teacher, principal, librarian, and nurse). Conclusions. This paper describes new methods for collecting qualitative data from diverse SGMY and school staff. Some lessons learned from this study include the importance of using trauma-informed interviewing methods, having a suicidality safety protocol, establishing a priori sampling quotas, and creating tailored social media advertisements. With these data we will explore the heterogeneity of SGMY and school staff experiences across varying structural stigma levels, yielding foundational information for future school-based interventions.

This article examines the topic of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) applied in college counseling centers. Trends in mental health issues on college campuses are briefly reviewed in support of the increased need for evidence-based treatment of severe mental health issues. The article next presents an overview of the standard DBT model and reviews research regarding DBT in college counseling centers, focusing on clinical outcomes and adaptations made for the college counseling setting. Finally, there is a discussion of implications for practice, barriers to implementation and outcome measurement, and areas for future research.There has been little research to date on the effectiveness of evidencebased treatments for severe and chronic mental health issues in the college counseling setting. In a survey of college counseling center directors, Gallagher (2013) found that 95% of directors reported concerns about students presenting with severe and complex mental health issues, including nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), crises requiring immediate intervention, eating disorders, psychiatric medication issues, and substance abuse. Lifetime prevalence rates for NSSI in college students is estimated to be between 11.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of a three‐credit college Wellness and Resilience Course (WRC) for improving student mental health and well‐being outcomes in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic.MethodUndergraduate students aged 18–24 years old on five campuses in Western Pennsylvania or West Virginia who had either enrolled in the WRC (n = 81) or were attending university as usual (i.e., not enrolled in the WRC; n = 171) participated in surveys at baseline (beginning of semester), end of semester, and 3‐month follow‐up during the Spring and Fall 2020 semesters.ResultsOverall, students rated the WRC as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. From baseline to the end of semester, students who received the WRC reported significant improvements in psychological flexibility (d = 0.30), mindfulness (d = 0.42), distress tolerance (d = 0.36), and use of dysfunctional and adaptive coping skills (d = 0.32), compared with students who did not receive the WRC. At follow‐up, all gains remained statistically significant and students who received the WRC additionally reported significant improvements in stress (d = 0.44) and life satisfaction (d = 0.35) compared with students who did not receive the WRC.ConclusionsThese findings offer preliminary evidence that college courses focused on mental wellness may be an important component of campus strategies to increase universal access to mental health support and skills. This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov on April 8, 2020.