Dialectical Behavior Therapy in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

DBT is the first and the most studied CBT approach in the treatment of BPD. It is a modular manualized treatment program developed for suicidal women most of who were noticed to meet the criteria for borderline personality disorder. The theory behind DBT is called the biosocial theory. The theory suggests that biological factors such as being born with an emotionally vulnerable temperament and social or environmental factors play roles in the development of BPD. DBT attend to the balance of acceptance-based and change-based strategies. This is the “teeter-totter” on which the therapist rests. DBT consists of five modes of treatment, which are the individual therapy, skills training, telephone consultation, therapist consultation team and ancillary treatments. If we think CBT as a technology of change based on the techniques of field of learning, DBT is more like balancing change with acceptance. On the other hand, cognitive modification program applied in DBT is driven from CBT. DBT can be applied to various settings and populations successfully. The main advantage of DBT is its low drop-out rates. Even though more research should be conducted on its generalizability, it proved itself as one of the successful treatments since it has been widely used by therapists with different treatment approaches.