The Decider Skills is underpinned by proven evidence 

The Decider Skills program is based around four key emotional areas :

  • Distress tolerance

  • Mindfulness

  • Emotion regulation

  • Interpersonal effectiveness

Read the evidence for each skill here

 

The Decider is firmly grounded in CBT and DBT for which there is a wealth of evidence for their efficacy in treating a wide range of mental health conditions (see below). 

The difference is in our presentation, the style of teaching, which makes the skills very memorable and user-friendly, helping everyone - including the non-clinicial population - to learn the skills so they are able to use them at times when they really need them.

Evidence for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT - What's the Evidence?  BABCP

The evidence for CBT in any condition, population or context: a meta-review

NICE / NHS - Current

CBT Outcome Studies

CBT Outcome Studies - references updated 2016

Why Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the Gold Standard 2018

Evidence for Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: Efficacy

DBT: Meta-analyses & Systematic Reviews

DBT Skills Training as a stand-alone or adjunctive treatment

Skills only DBT

 

Read the article linked in the right hand box for the evidence for each skill.

 

See the studies below for evidence specifically supporting The Decider.

 

 

Read the evidence for each skill

Find out more

REPORT

Impact report from South Perthshire Community Mental Health Team

South Perthshire Community Mental Health Team have provided their most recent report on the impact of Decider Skills. They offer a structured yet informal space for individuals to develop essential life skills. Led by Karen and Ellie, these sessions empower participants to manage emotions, build resilience, and connect with others through shared experiences. They currently deliver reoccurring groups in 3 locations across South Perthshire as well as numerous 1:1's during clinic hours.

Read

IMPACT STORY

Mental health, substance use, and trauma in women

Senior Occupational Therapist within SPRING service, Louise Paul, shares their thoughts on how implementing the Decider Skills has impacted the people they work with. Louise has also provided quotes from some of the women who attend their groups.

Read

CASE STUDY

KITE Autism Service, Kilkenny — Building calm, shared language and everyday strategies

KITE Autism Service in Kilkenny completed its first Decider Skills programme in 2025. The service enrolled a small group of participants and committed to reinforcing the skills after the course finished, embedding the approach into day‑to‑day practice.

Read

Dr Bruce Perry, Beacon House

The Three Rs

Dr Bruce Perry, a pioneering neuroscientist in the field of trauma, has shown us that to help a vulnerable child to learn, think and reflect, we need to intervene in a simple sequence.

Read

REPORT

North of Scotland CAMHS

Feedback from a 2 day workshop attended by CAMHS professionals & from young service users. The Decider has since "become embedded in the Inpatient Unit and proved to be very popular with the young people with a good regular weekly attendance. This is a fairly new group but has been measured using the DERS 18 questionnaire which measures aspects of emotional regulation. The results of the group are promising"

Read

REPORT

Upturn Young Person’s Service

University of Southampton's report into Upturn Young Person's Service 2017 using The Decider Life Skills

Read

REPORT

NHS Grampian - The Decider Skills Pilot Group

Results from The Decider Skills pilot group held in Aberdeen

Read

The Decider Life Skills in Guernsey

A poster presentation providing a summary of studies 2017

Read

REPORT

The Lincara Centre, Wicklow, Ireland

Summary and outcomes for The Decider Skills course in Wicklow, Ireland from January to March 2019.

Read

REPORT

Building resilience in mental health nurses

Increasing resilience by teaching The Decider Life Skills to student mental health nurses in Ireland

Read

The Decider Skills pilot study 2013

Results of the initial pilot study with 20 long term mental health service users which formed the foundation of The Decider Skills programme in 2012-2013.

Read

REPORT

CAMHS data for The Decider Skills

Outcome data for young people who completed The Decider Skills group in 2016

Read

REPORT

Delivering The Decider Life Skills via Highland Pharmacists

A multi-perspective evaluation of specialist mental health clinical pharmacist prescribers practising within general practices in NHS Highland Provided by NHS Highland and Robert Gordon University 2018

Read

REPORT

Portlaoise Poster

The Decider Skills group show evidence of a reduction in global distress, anxiety and depression

Read

REPORT

Guernsey's Mental Health Services - The Decider Life Skills Workshops

During 2016, 55 service users and 23 staff attended The Decider Life Skills half day workshop. Brief report and feedback. Written by Ayres & Vivyan

Read

STOPP skill - the evidence base

Read

STUDY

Lockdown in a specialised rehabilitation unit

Lockdown in a specialist rehabilitation unit: The best of times.

Read

Palumbo, R., Di Domenico, A., Fairfield, B. et al.

Repetition

When twice is better than once: increased liking of repeated items influences memory in younger and older adults

Read

STUDY

The PARC Project

The PARC Project - County Wicklow, Ireland

Read