Date of Award
1-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
College/School
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department/Program
Psychology
Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair
Yingying Yang
Committee Member
Samantha Coyle-Eastwick
Committee Member
Beth Sapiro
Committee Member
Patricia Marino
Abstract
Existent research indicates that Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an efficacious treatment for mental health issues in many adult and adolescent populations, yet there is little research on the effect of DBT on culturally diverse, underserved populations (Mercado, & Hinojosa, 2017). Orthodox Jews are a culturally diverse, understudied, and underserved population (Schnall et al., 2014), that contends with strong stigmas against mental health treatment (Gearing et al., 2022). Orthodox Jewish community teachings are governed by religious values and precepts with a resistance to secular influence (Freund & Band-Winterstein, 2017). The social-emotional learning that is occasionally taught in some community schools does not typically stem from evidence-based research, and the curriculums that are evidence-based do not involve Jewish thought. It is unclear whether DBT could benefit this community, and mental health stigma may play an important role in mediating the effects of DBT. I hypothesized that implementing a culturally concordant DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) curriculum in an Orthodox Jewish high school and middle school would: 1. Decrease the students’ levels of emotion dysregulation. 2. Increase student effective skill use. 3. Reduce student and teacher perception of mental health stigma. The methods included teaching a culturally adapted DBT STEPS-A curriculum weekly, over the course of one semester (14-weeks). The teachers received a separate training session. Pre- and post-measures were collected at the start and conclusion of the study, and three short measures were administered throughout the semester. Results of the study supported all three hypotheses stated above, some fully and others partially. It is hoped that this study will reveal further opportunities for improving mental health abilities, reducing stigma, and providing culturally adaptive and accepted care in the Orthodox Jewish community.
File Format
Recommended Citation
Hershkovich-Elgavi, Arielle, "Culturally Concordant DBT STEPS-A Intervention in Orthodox Jewish Schools" (2025). Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects. 1491.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/etd/1491
