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When teens practice the right skills,
things can get better.
In a multi-year study of 47 teens and young adults in our program, participants reported a decrease in suicidal thoughts, a stronger connection to life, and reduced depressive symptoms—with the most significant gains occurring in the first six months. Here’s what we found, and an honest look at what it does and doesn’t tell us.
ADOLESCENTS
YEAR OF CARE
CLINIC
On average, participants in our program reported less distress over their first year — with the most change happening early, in the first six months. Every person’s path is different; this shows the overall pattern.
What we looked at
Compass is a DBT-LBC™ certified program, which means we deliver Dialectical Behavior Therapy the way the research says it should be done.
DBT for adolescents teaches young people practical skills:
How to get through an emotional crisis without making things worse.
How to manage intense feeling.
How to handle conflict and relationships.
We wanted to test an idea: does individualized skills coaching, focused on behavioral rehearsal and troubleshooting barriers, improve treatment outcomes?
To find out:
We introduced short, one-on-one sessions dedicated to practicing DBT skills until they feel usable in everyday life
We followed 47 teens and young adults over their first year of treatment to see if it works.
What we found
Over the first year, the adolescents and young adults in our program showed real, measurable improvement in three areas:
Fewer suicidal thoughts
Participants reported a meaningful decrease in suicidal ideation across the year.
Stronger connection to life
Participants reported increased hope for the future, deeper bonds with their support systems, and a greater sense of self-worth.
Reduced depressive symptoms
Participants reported a measurable decrease in the intensity and frequency of depressive symptoms, such as low mood, isolation, and loss of interest.
Here’s what we found most promising: participants who attended more skills-coaching sessions tended to show greater early reductions in suicidal thoughts. This suggests that focused, repeated practice is a key factor in the progress teens and young adults make during treatment.
A transparent look at our findings
This was a small, preliminary study conducted at a single clinic without a comparison group. Because of this, we cannot definitively claim that the skills coaching caused these improvements—only that the participants who engaged in individualized skills coaching sessions experienced meaningful progress. Additionally, our study group was primarily female and white, so these results may not be representative of every teen’s experience. We share these findings because they are genuinely encouraging, and because we believe in being forthcoming about what the research does and does not indicate.
What this might mean for your family
If your teen is currently participating in DBT, we encourage you to ask their treatment team: “How are the skills being taught in group being generalized to the real world?” That transition—from skills training to daily life—is the heart of what we studied. Whatever path you are on, remember that progress in DBT typically builds steadily over months. A hard week does not erase the work you have done; recovery is rarely a straight line, and every step forward counts.
If you need support right now
Watching your child struggle is one of the hardest things a parent can face. You don’t have to navigate it alone, and reaching out is a sign of strength.
988 |
Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. |
741741 |
Text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. |
911 |
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. |
Talk with our team
If you’d like to explore whether DBT for adolescents could help your family, we’re here to listen — no pressure, just a conversation.