This study presents early findings from two clinical trials examining culturally adapted CBT and DBT-informed group interventions for Turkish university students. One group focused on anxiety management using CBT, while the other used a DBT-informed approach to support students with emotion regulation difficulties. Both trials followed a mixed-methods, non-randomised pre-post design with waitlist control and six-week follow-up. Participants were recruited from a university counselling service based on clinical thresholds on standardised self-report measures (e.g. BAI, DERS, PHQ-9). The interventions ran for eight sessions. Trials are registered on clinicaltrials.gov (CBT: ; DBT: ). Preliminary results suggest that both groups were effective for the majority of participants, based on clinically significant change analysis. Qualitative feedback indicated that students experienced either improvement or were able to stay well despite adversities. They spoke positively about the therapists, and the group format helped them understand they were not alone, as many stated appreciating being with others going through similar experiences. Several students said they would recommend the groups and felt they should be routinely available via the university's psychological counselling centre. While the findings are early, they point towards the acceptability and potential clinical utility of these interventions. Recruitment is ongoing. Further data will help inform wider implementation and guide next steps.

Authors:
Ayse Akan, Bogazici University, Turkey
Busra Guclu, Bogazici University, Turkey
Esra Oztas, Bogazici University, Turkey

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Ayse Akan, Assistant Professor at Boğaziçi University. Her work focuses on student mental health, trauma, and culturally sensitive therapy. She currently leads a funded project on university student wellbeing.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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