Linehan’s Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for Borderline Personality Disorder: Overview and Adaptation

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a structured, time-limited, cognitive behavioural treatment originally developed for borderline personality disorder clients who have chronic parasuicidal problems. This paper overviews the therapy & examines how it may be used in day-to-day clinical practice in other cultural settings. It is suggested that any adaptation or modification to this therapy should be done in the context of a theoretical model of which psychological processes underlie the treatment effects & with due attention to the advantages & disadvantages of working within the National Health Service structure. (8 refs.)