Developing a Dialectical Behavior Therapy–Based Friendship Training Package for Children

Abstract

The objective of this study was to design and validate a standardized educational package aimed at improving children’s friendship-building skills based on the principles of dialectical behavior therapy. A qualitative design using conventional content analysis was employed. Texts related to children’s friendship development and dialectical behavior therapy were purposefully selected and analyzed line-by-line. Extracted concepts, subthemes, and major dimensions were organized using a six-stage training-package development model. The resulting package consisted of eight 90-minute sessions, each including defined goals, content components, and homework assignments. Content validity was assessed through expert review by child psychologists and DBT practitioners. Analysis revealed two major dimensions of DBT relevant to children: psychopathology components including emotional vulnerability, invalidating environments, and emotion dysregulation; and intervention components including individual strategies and group-based skills training. Additionally, friendship-related determinants were grouped into family, individual, and social factors. Integrating these domains provided the framework for the package. Expert evaluations indicated strong content validity and structural coherence of the training program. The study demonstrates that synthesizing DBT principles with developmental factors influencing children’s friendships can yield an effective training package to support social competence. This package offers a structured tool for practitioners and parents to enhance children’s friendship skills and reduce experiences of rejection and isolation.