Effectiveness Study of a Dialectical Behavioral Treatment for Adolescents With Emotional Instability and Their Families. Comparison of Family Functioning and Cope Strategies in Adolescents With Emotional Instability and Their Families and a Control Group

Emotional instability disorder (IE) is appreciable since adolescence, and crises (suicidal ideation, self-harm, impulsive acts and brief psychotic episodes) carry a high use of health resources, coupled with the suffering of families who feel helpless and difficulties in handling.

this study is composed of three diferents studies:

. The first study's goal is to determine if there are diferences and, which ones, between family functioning and cope strategies between adolescents with IE and their families, and families of a control group.

• the purpose of the second study is to evaluate the effectivenes of a dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with IE and their families who are in treatment in the Child Abd Adolescent Mental Heath Service of the Hospital sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida. This treatment consist on 2 preliminary sessions with parents and patients and 12 group sessions which purpose is to teach skilss to manage emotions based on dialectical Behavior Therapy.
• finally, the third study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for parents of adolescents with IE who are in treatment in the different network devices of Child and Adolescent Mental Health of the Community of Madrid. Treatment goals are the development of communication skills, validation and crisis management as well as increase understanding and competence of the pathology. The DBT intervention will begin with two individual sessions with parents of patients and 10 theoretical and practical seminars in group format (6-7 families) following the model proposed by Marsha Linehan. The DBT interventions will be added to "standard treatment" that a patient with IE receives in the investigative devices.