Commitment and Motivation in a Brief DBT Intervention for Self Harm

Client motivation is related to therapeutic change (Ryan, Lynch, Vansteenkiste, & Deci) and low motivation is a pervasive issue for clients with BPD (e.g., Skodal et al., 1983). DBT (Linehan, 1993) is an effective treatment for BPD and was developed in part to address client motivation. Within DBT there are commitment strategies that are used to help clients establish clear goals and increase motivation to work on them. These strategies were designed to help people commit to eliminating self-harm as well as other behaviours. People are more motivated to work effectively towards goals for which they are autonomously motivated (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Despite their importance in DBT, commitment strategies have never been studied. This study will examine whether commitment strategies are associated with an increase in autonomous motivation and a decrease in self harm behaviour.

This research will address two primary questions: 1) Are commitment strategies associated with an increase in autonomous motivation to decrease self-harm behaviour?; and 2) Does autonomous motivation mediate a relationship between commitment strategies and change in self-harm behaviour? The investigators will also address a secondary question related to predictors of autonomous motivation. Our hypotheses are as follows: 1) The group receiving psychoeducation enhanced with commitment strategies will have higher levels of autonomous motivation compared to the psychoeducation control group; and 2) autonomous motivation will mediate the relationship between commitment strategies and decreases in self harm behaviour. Additionally, autonomy support, low therapist judgment, and goal concordance between client and therapist will independently contribute to predicting client autonomous motivation.

Research in this area is needed in light of the challenges presented by the low motivation that often characterizes individuals with borderline traits who engage in self-harm behaviour. No studies to date have examined DBT's commitment strategies, thus, the effect of these treatment strategies is unknown and needs to be established. Additionally, identifying specific variables that are associated with motivation to eliminate self-harm will help inform the refinement treatment strategies. Finally, few studies have examined the role of autonomous motivation and treatment outcome.

Inclusion criteria

• Has a valid health card issued by a Canadian province or Canadian student organization (ie: UHIP)
• Has had at least 3 self-harm episodes (either suicidal or non-suicidal) in the past 5 years, including at least 1 in the past eight weeks
• Is literate in English
• Absence of 4 or more formal weeks of DBT in the past year (individual or group therapy components)
• Indicates absence of knowledge of the DBT Skills
• Is able to attend all sessions on scheduled study day

Exclusion criteria

• Evidence of organic brain syndrome or mental retardation