Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) was originally developed for which specific condition, and what are its four core skill modules?

• A Schizophrenia; cognitive restructuring, social skills, relapse prevention, and family psychoeducation
• B PTSD; trauma narrative, cognitive processing, in-vivo exposure, and EMDR
• C Anorexia nervosa; nutritional rehabilitation, motivational enhancement, family-based therapy, and body image work
• D Borderline personality disorder; mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance ✓

Explanation

DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan specifically for borderline personality disorder, particularly for chronically suicidal and self-harming patients who were deemed too dysregulated for standard CBT. It integrates CBT principles with Zen mindfulness and dialectical philosophy (acceptance and change). The four skill training modules are: (1) mindfulness — the core foundational skill; (2) interpersonal effectiveness — assertiveness and relationship skills; (3) emotion regulation — identifying, reducing vulnerability to, and modifying intense emotions; (4) distress tolerance — surviving crises without making things worse. DBT is now also evidence-based for eating disorders, substance use disorders, and PTSD.

Reference: Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.