The Role of distress tolerance skills training in enhancing quality of life in conversion patients: A feasibility trail

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Distress Tolerance Skills Training (DBT) for individuals diagnosed with Conversion Disorder (CD).

Study Design: The experimental group received DBT distress tolerance skills training, while the Treatment-as-usual (TAU) group received only drug therapy. The study utilized a mixed between-subject and within-subject design, comparing experimental conditions 1 and 2, along with pre-and post-measures of experimental condition 1.

Place and Duration of Study: The research took place at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) and Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) in Peshawar over a duration of 1.5 years.

Subjects & Methods: Twenty-four undergraduate participants were selected using purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either the Experimental (n=12) or TAU (n=12) group. The Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS; Simons & Gaher, 2005) and Quality of Life scale (QOL; Flanagan, 1970) were administered to both groups before and after the intervention. The study focused on the Distress Tolerance Skills Training module of DBT.

Results: A t-test was conducted to compare the experimental and TAU groups, revealing the effectiveness of DBT distress tolerance skills training in improving Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores in CD compared to TAU. Higher distress tolerance scores were associated with improved Quality of Life (QOL) in CD. Paired sample t-tests showed a significant difference between pre-and post-test scores in the experimental group for DTS and QOL, with participants scoring higher on the post-test measures.

Conclusion: DBT distress tolerance skills training can be considered as part of the treatment plan for Conversion Disorder, and further research should explore its efficacy in treating other psychological conditions.