Effectiveness of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy–Based Addiction-Prevention Training Package on Adolescents’ Tendency toward Risky Behavior and Feelings of Rejection

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)–based addiction-prevention training package on reducing adolescents’ tendency toward risky behavior and perceived rejection.

Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design with pretest–posttest and follow-up was employed, including one experimental group (n = 20) and one control group (n = 20) of adolescents aged 12–18 in Isfahan, Iran. The experimental group received ten 90-minute DBT-based sessions, while the control group was placed on a waitlist. Assessments were conducted using the Risky Behavior Inclination Scale and the Perceived Rejection Questionnaire at pretest, posttest, and 45-day follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests.

Findings: The DBT-based training significantly reduced perceived rejection (time × group interaction: F = 82.63, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.63, power = 1) and tendency toward risky behavior (time × group interaction: F = 55.404, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.91, power = 1) compared to controls. Post hoc analyses indicated significant improvements from pretest to posttest and from pretest to follow-up, with no significant change between posttest and follow-up, demonstrating stability of intervention effects. Between-group effects were also significant for both rejection (F = 73.100, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.73) and risky behavior (F = 75.505, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.93).

Conclusion: The DBT-based addiction-prevention training effectively decreases adolescents’ perceived rejection and inclination toward risky behaviors. Skills including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and assertive communication may enhance self-efficacy and reduce vulnerability to high-risk behaviors in adolescence.