TITLE:
Dialectic Behavior Therapy for Young Adults’ Parents and Guardians: Analysis of the Common Unconscious Orientation
AUTHORS:
Aranzazu Fernandez-Rivas, Eva Sesma-Pardo, Iñaki Kerexeta, Gonzalo Mancebo, Fernando Aguirregomoscorta, Federico Carminati, Miguel Angel Gonzalez-Torres, Claire Fouassier, François Martin, Jacques Demongeot, Giuliana Galli-Carminati
KEYWORDS:
Group Dynamics, Collective Behavior, Entropy Analysis, DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.17 No.7,
July
13,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: This study investigates the emergence of common behavior in a slow-open group undergoing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training. Participants were parents of adolescents enrolled in DBT programs. Methods: Participants completed an “absurd questionnaire” consisting of 50 pairs of images, selecting one image per pair. A baseline questionnaire was administered prior to group participation. We analyzed the distribution of responses across sessions, focusing on temporal evolution, correlation structure, and entropy. Empirical data were compared with Monte Carlo null models obtained by permuting session order, individual identities, and responses. Results: The distribution of responses exhibits a structured temporal evolution characterized by a dominant low-dimensional mode, which is significantly reduced under time permutation. This indicates that coordinated temporal dynamics contribute substantially to the observed structure. In contrast, randomizing individual identities increases both entropy and the magnitude of the dominant mode, suggesting that persistent individual response patterns constrain the emergence of collective dynamics. Transition-based measures show weaker or non-significant structure. Conclusions: The results indicate the presence of a temporally coordinated group-level dynamic that cannot be fully explained by independent individual behavior. While compatible with interpretations based on group dynamics, these findings do not uniquely support any specific theoretical framework.