| This study examines the relationship between several variables and dropout in an outpatient Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) psycho-educational skills group in a community mental health setting. Treatment completion was defined as completing all of the DBT skills training modules twice. Variables examined included Demographic Variables, Feelings of Empowerment, Quality of Life, Symptom Distress, First Assigned Module, Percent of First Module Completed, Total Percent of Sessions Attended, and Completion of all Modules Once. Cramer's V and Pearson r correlations were analyzed, and found that all clients who attended 50% or less of their first module did not successfully complete treatment. None of the other independent variables were significantly related to DBT treatment completion. Optimism, Percent of First Module completed, Empowerment, and Self-esteem/Self-efficacy are all significantly correlated with Completion of all Modules Once. Clients who did not complete at least 64% of their first module did not complete all modules once. Percent First Module and Optimism were correlated with Percent of Total Sessions attended. Self-Esteem/Self-Efficacy was significantly positively correlated with Percent of First Module Completed. A multiple regression prediction equation was constructed with Quality of Life as the dependent variable, and found that Race, living situation, and optimism accounted for 29% of the variability in Quality of Life. Limitations of the study and implications for clinicians are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research. |
