This thesis looks at the Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT-SA) Programme. This programme is designed to be delivered as both a universal and targeted intervention. An empirical study was carried out to establish the feasibility and effectiveness of this programme when delivered by school-based counsellors to a targeted group of young people. A mixed methods approach was applied which illustrated the positive impact of this intervention on emotional
regulation skills and general functioning. Qualitative analysis provided further evidence of impact through skills use and functioning after the group.
The final chapter reviews the empirical paper and systematic review and applies both to a model of suicide before making recommendations as to how DBT-SA can impact on factors that lead to suicide and ways in which the model’s interpretation of images needs to be expanded to reflect the review’s findings.