Faridehsadat Hoseini

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training (DBT-ST) on negative urgency, response inhibition, and emotional clarity in female adolescents with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD). A prepost test design with a control group and one-month follow-up was employed. Using purposive sampling, 40second-year secondary school students from Sirjan City (2023–2024) who met DSM-V criteria for DMDD were selected from 166 students based on the Affective Reactivity Index. Participants were randomly assigned to either the DBT-ST intervention group (n=20) or a waitlist control group (n=20). The intervention group received twelve 150-minute DBT-ST sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Assessments were conducted using the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency Behavior Scale (UPPS-P), Go/No Go software, and Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS) at baseline, 12weeks, and 16weeks post-study. Thirty-seven participants completed the study (DBT: n=18; waitlist: n=19). Results revealed significant improvements in the DBT-ST group compared to the control group for response inhibition (F=164.27, d=1.76, p<0.001), negative urgency (F=210.33, d=−1.76, p<0.001), and emotional clarity (F=561.50, d=1.81, p<0.001). Time effects were also significant for all outcomes (p<0.001). These findings suggest that DBT-ST effectively enhances response inhibition, reduces negative urgency, and improves emotional clarity in adolescents with DMDD, supporting its potential as a therapeutic intervention for this population.