DBT-P Treatment Study

The goal of this study is to find out if improving emotion regulation skills use during pregnancy reduces maternal stress and improves heart rate. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does improving emotion regulation skills during pregnancy reduce stress and improve the ability to cope? * How is a participant's heart rate affected by their ability to control their emotions during pregnancy? Researchers will test the hypothesis that dialectical behavior therapy skills groups (DBT-P) will improve emotion regulation skills use as well as heart rate. Participants will: * Visit the clinic for 3 sessions at the beginning, middle and end of their pregnancy. * Compete surveys and interviews asking about their thoughts, feelings and how they cope with emotions. * Have their heart rate taken. * If assigned to the investigational group, they will complete weekly remote emotion regulation skills groups for 10 weeks and complete daily diary cards that ask about mood and any thoughts of self-harm. * Optional Element: Complete a 20-30min infant neurobehavior exam (NNNS exam) after delivery.

NCT Number	NCT06963801
Lead Sponsor	Duke University Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), University of Oregon, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Conditions	Emotion Dysregulation
Enrollment	100 participants
Start Date	2025-06-06
Primary Completion	2026-10-05 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-10-19 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-08