The ‘Link onto Life’ Program: A Pilot Intervention using Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to Enhance Coping and Wellbeing in Young People (18-24 years).

INTERVENTION: Group 1: DBT Group program (MHREC: 2015/006): * The program will run for 12 weeks. Each group will meet each week for approximately 1 hr (50 minutes). * The program will be run by DBT qualified clinical Masters students (Psychology) * The following timeline will be used: 1. Week 1‐2 ‐ Baseline measures 2. Week 3‐110 ‐ Deliver program 3. Week 11‐12 ‐ Post measures * Week 1 ‐ Activities on setting up the group rules/ outlining the group program. It will be explained to participants that no personal disclosures will be allowed. * Week 2 ‐ Core Mindfulness * Week 3‐4 ‐ Distress Tolerance * Week 5‐6 ‐ Emotion Regulation * Week 7‐8 ‐ Interpersonal Effectiveness * Week 9‐10 ‐ Walking the Middle Path * Week 11 ‐ Review * Week 12 ‐ Closing session 3. Week 11‐12 ‐ Review and Conclusion 4. After group concludes ‐ Collect measures * Participants have the right to pass, to sit and observe, or to leave. Everyone in the group will be given the right to speak and to be treated with respect. * Participants will also be able to withdraw at any time without any repercussions and will be referred to a psychologist/support agency should they decide to withdraw. * Students in the DBT group will be sent a short, online survey, once a week, in place of a manual diary entry. This survey will be the same survey sent to participants in the ESM condition and will be sent to participants on a randomised schedule. Group 2: Online DBT skills program (MHREC: 2015/006): Participants will follow the same program outlined above, facilitated via online delivery. CONDITION: Deliberate self‐harm Emotion dysregulation Maladaptive coping behaviours Risk taking behaviours PRIMARY OUTCOME: Anxiety related behaviours assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Depressive symptomatology assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. ; Maladaptive emotional coping assessed by 16 item Modified Affective Control Scale (MACS‐16) SECONDARY OUTCOME: nil INCLUSION CRITERIA: * Young people aged between 18‐24 years * Informed consent obtained prior to the study commencing * Participants must be identified as having engaged in at‐risk coping behaviours, in the past as a way of coping with difficulties * Participants must be willing to engage in program