Emotional Dysregulation
Some people have rapidly changing emotions, difficulty controlling emotions, and difficulty appropriately expressing them. Others experience episodic or continual feelings of anxiety and/or depression. These challenges often are the root of a person feeling that their life is miserable and out-of-control.
Unstable moods improved from extremely unstable to above average.
On admission, participants reported an extreme level of rapidly changing moods (mean = 91.50, SD 16.68). After completion of initial treatment phase, mood instability was decreased to the above average range (mean = 62.08, SD 16.81). Above 70 is considered clinically significant. Average level of mood instability in the general population is measured at T=50.
Skills deficits improved from extreme deficit to close to average.
On admission, participants reported an extreme lack of knowledge of strategies needed to manage emotions (mean = 93.34, SD 15.77). After initial treatment phase, knowledge of what was needed to manage emotions was close to the average range (mean = 58.22, SD 14.72). Above 70 is considered clinically significant. Average level of knowledge of mood regulation skills in the general population is measured at T=50.
Mood Instability is measured with the Affect Instability subscale of John Briere's IASC (2000). Knowledge of skills needed to regulate emotions is measured with the Affect Skills Deficits subscale.