Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Justice-Involved Veterans

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Justice-Involved Veterans (DBT-J) is a comprehensive, integrative program distinctively designed to address the range of mental health, substance use, case management, and legal needs of Veterans with current or ongoing criminal justice involvement. Data from two prior clinical trials attest to the program's feasibility and acceptability and preliminarily suggest participation in the program may yield meaningful improvements in risk for criminal behavior and resolution of high-priority case management needs. However, continued research is needed to further investigate the program's efficacy. This Phase III clinical trial aims to investigate the superiority of DBT-J over a supportive group therapy treatment in decreasing risk of future criminal behavior and increasing psychosocial functioning. Secondary and exploratory aims will also investigate superiority of DBT-J in improving secondary treatment targets, potential differential efficacy across special-interest Veteran subgroups, and long-term consequences of program participation.