In this study, DBT was implemented for adolescent patients that have a history of self-injurious behavior and some with suicide attempts. The study showed that DBT successfully reduced suicidality, non-suicidal self-injurious behavior, emotion dysregulation and depression. There was not suicide attempts during the study and the one year follow-up. 

Eastern Michigan University

Though dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was initially developed as a treatment for chronically suicidal individuals and was first validated with women who have borderline personality disorder (BPD), it has shown to be effective for a variety of populations. These populations include:

•Individuals with BPD

•Individuals with drug or alcohol addictions

•Individuals with eating disorders


 Populations that Benefit from Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Fleischhaker, C., Böhme, R., Sixt, B. et al. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A): a clinical Trial for Patients with suicidal and self-injurious Behavior and Borderline Symptoms with a one-year Follow-up. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 5, 3 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-5-3

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A): a clinical Trial for Patients with suicidal and self-injurious Behavior and Borderline Symptoms 

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was adapted by its creators to treat both borderline personality disorder (BPD) and substance use disorder (SUD), two commonly comorbid disorders. DBT includes explicit strategies for overcoming many barriers in treating SUD, including weak treatment engagement and retention. Those diagnosed with both a SUD and BPD who undergo DBT are significantly more likely to remain in treatment, achieve greater reductions in drug abuse, and attend more individual therapy sessions than patients receiving standard treatment. 

Usefulness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in treating addiction

DBT has shown effectiveness in treating anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Studies have shown that using dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness strategies as treatment for these patients is effective in curbing the negative behaviors associated with their respective disorders. Adapting DBT to emphasize the causal factors of these disorders has shown to be more effective than the use of standard DBT.


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