Development of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy–Based Parenting Package: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study

Objective: This study aimed to develop a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)–based parenting package to improve parenting skills, reduce parental anxiety, and enhance child outcomes in families with separation anxiety concerns.

Methods and Materials: A qualitative approach using conventional content analysis (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005) was employed. Ten texts each related to DBT and parenting were purposively selected and analyzed line by line to extract dimensions, concepts, and sub-concepts. The extracted concepts were integrated into a structured parenting package following the six-step method of Yousefi and Golparvar (2023). Content validity of the eight-session package was confirmed by five child and family specialists using inter-rater agreement coefficients (CVI = 0.98). The package combined DBT mechanisms (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness) with parenting principles (control and management, communication, parenting knowledge, child acceptance, anxiety management).

Findings: Two main dimensions emerged from DBT analysis: (1) Psychopathology (emotional vulnerability, invalidating environment, emotion dysregulation) and (2) Interventions (individual and group skills training). Parenting analysis revealed: (1) Parenting principles (parenting components, influencing factors, caregiving agents, classical patterns, healthy strategies, techniques) and (2) Parenting outcomes (desirable and undesirable). The final package incorporated selected components into eight structured 90-minute sessions, progressing from basic to advanced skills. Content validation confirmed consistency, clarity, and practical applicability.

Conclusion: The DBT-based parenting package demonstrates strong content validity and integrates evidence-based psychological strategies with practical parenting techniques. It provides a structured, theoretically grounded intervention to enhance parenting skills and improve parent–child relationships, offering a foundation for future experimental evaluations.