Abstract
<p>Psychotherapy delivered in its traditional format is unlikely to benefit Asian Americans (AA) due to low rates of treatment utilization and retention. Brief videos teaching Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills provides an alternative avenue to disseminate emotion regulation resources. The integration of behavioral change strategies and Zen Buddhist philosophies (e.g., acceptance) in DBT may also be culturally appealing to some AA subgroups. In this study, we evaluated the acceptability/usability and outcomes of a video-based DBT skills intervention among a sample of Chinese/Chinese American individuals. The intervention was comprised of 14 brief animated videos of DBT skills. A total of 91 Chinese/Chinese American college students, not currently receiving treatment, completed daily assessment for four weeks and were randomized to receive (1) assessment-only (n = 29), (2) acceptance-oriented followed by change-oriented skills videos (n = 32), or (3) change-oriented followed by acceptance-oriented skills videos (n = 30). Self-reports and engagement behaviors supported the acceptability/usability of the intervention, which was not found to differ between change- or acceptance-oriented skills videos. Compared to the control group, the intervention groups showed more favorable outcomes related to the distress and management of emotional experiences. This study provides insights of acceptable and effective ways to address mental health needs of Asian/Asian Americans while extending the scarce literature on this topic.</p>