This document summarizes research on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a treatment for clients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan and includes four modules to target the core characteristics of BPD like emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. Studies have found DBT reduces suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and medical risk more than treatment as usual. The author's experience in a DBT skills group supported the literature that DBT can be effectively delivered in community mental health settings and improves outcomes for clients with BPD.

1. Purpose/RationalePurpose/Rationale ReferencesReferencesResultsResults
•DBT has been suggested to be the best course of
treatment for clients suffering from Borderline
Personality Disorder, along with comorbid
disorders such as Bipolar, Eating, and Major
Depressive (Koerner and Dimeff, 2000).
•Research has suggested that DBT is best
conducted within community mental health
settings (Koerner and Dimeff, 2000), but it can
also be completed individually or one-on-one.
•Clients who received DBT were less likely to drop
out of treatment than clients receiving the
treatment-as-usual (TAU) (Linehan et. al, 2006).
•My own experience interning at The Bridge of
Central Massachusetts has shown me that clients
can be referred to DBT skills groups via master’s
level clinicians and psychiatrists.
The Efficacy of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in Clients with Borderline
Personality Disorder
Amber A. Samuels
Department of Psychology and Philosophy
Framingham State University
Faculty Sponsor: Deborah McMakin, EdD, MSW, LICSW
Discussion/ImplicationsDiscussion/Implications
•I was interested in researching DBT and its
efficacy with BPD clients because I have attended
DBT skills groups throughout the course of my
internship with The Bridge.
•I have gained knowledge of the four main
components of DBT - mindfulness, distress
tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and
emotional regulation.
•Referrals can be made through national
organizations, and through any for- or non-profit
agency (The Bridge is non-profit).
•I attended DBT skills groups from January
through May, and I had missed sessions from
September through December. My experience with
DBT is limited and my results may not be entirely
conclusive to all participants’ outcomes.
•DBT’s purpose is to link acceptance and change.
Although clients are accepted for who they are,
there are personal and interpersonal skills that
need to be taught in order to change their negative
emotions and actions.
Method/Procedures ApproachMethod/Procedures Approach
Literature ReviewLiterature Review
• DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan as an
evidence-based treatment for personality
characteristics associated with Borderline
Personality Disorder.
• Defined characteristics of BPD include
impulsivity, emotional dysregulation,
interpersonal problems, self-harm, and suicidal
behaviors (Linehan, 2013).
• The four modules of DBT consist of mindfulness,
distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and
emotion regulation (BehavioralTech, 2015).
• Overall goal of DBT is to provide effective and
compassionate treatment to those suffering from
complex mental disorders (Linehan, 2013).
• DBT has been suggested to be the most effective
treatment reducing suicide attempts (Linehan et.
al, 2006).
• Clients who receive d DBT treatment were
statistically significantly less likely to attempt
suicide, require psychiatric hospitalization, and
have a high medical risk (Linehan et. al, 2006).
• Koons et. al (1998) found that clients who
completed DBT had lower levels of hopelessness,
depression, anger, and suicidal ideations than
those in the control TAU design (Koerner and
Dimeff, 2000).
• Treatment and Research Advancements (TARA)
partners with the National Association of
Personality Disorders (NAPD) to help individuals
in need of DBT find the right therapist (TARA,
2004).
• TARA and NAPD educate the public about BPD,
make referrals to therapists/clinicians, publish
research findings, and hold conferences. (TARA,
2004).
• To gain knowledge of all components
and modules of DBT
• To examine the effectiveness of DBT
treatment developed for clients
suffering from Borderline Personality
Disorder
• To understand the process of referral
to DBT treatment
• My internship at The Bridge of
Central Massachusetts allowed me to
participate in DBT skills groups
alongside clients with BPD
• The Linehan Institute. (2013). DBT Effective and
://www.linehaninstitute.org/
• Behavioral Tech. (2015). DBT
Resources. Retrieved from
http://www.behavioraltech.org/
• Treatment and Research
Advancements. (2004). Referral
Center. Retrived from
http://www.tara4pbd.org/
• Linehan, et. al. (2006). Two-year
randomized controlled trial and
follow-up of Dialectical Behavior
Therapy vs therapy by experts for
suicidal behaviors and Borderline
Personality Disorder. Archives of
General Psychiatry, 63(7). 757-
766.
doi:10.1001/archpsyc.63.7.757.
• Koerner, K. and Dimeff, L. (2000).
Further data on Dialectical
Behavioral Therapy. Clinical
Psychology: Science and Practice,
7(1). 104-112.
• Utilizing Google Scholar web searches
for keywords
• Utilizing the PsycINFO journal
database via Blackboard at
Framingham State
• Researching Dr. Marsha Linehan’s
institute website
• Observing and participating in DBT
skills group with clients from The
Bridge programs
• Completing DBT weekly homework
and diary cards
• Participating in DBT staff consultation
meetings