DBT and Family Based Therapy

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy treatment (DBT) falls within the category of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Its main focus is on psychosocial characteristics. Based on the theory that emotions can trigger intense reactions in some persons (especially in family/friend or romantic situations), DBT proposes that the extreme swings in feeling can be better controlled by enabling the individual to more easily identify the kinds of thoughts and feelings that have an intense impact and prepare the person cognitively to approach these emotional surges in a new way.

Anderson et al. (2015) show that DBT can be an effective strategy for helping young patients with bulimia nervosa, but that because of limitations inherent within the treatment, it can best be applied in conjunction with family-based therapy. The rationale for this is that DBT naturally lends itself to family-based therapy, because it focuses on relationships and the individual's response to them. By incorporating family-based therapy into the treatment technique, the DBT approach can be enhanced in a more deeply impactful way that provides a better support system for the young person suffering from bulimia nervosa.

This is one of the weaknesses of DBT, as Andreasson et al. (2016) note: there is no evidence to suggest that it is better than other treatment approaches, such as collaborative assessment and management of suicidality, for instance. The approach of DBT is effective in certain cases, but its limitations -- essentially the need for a stronger support system in order to effectively establish a proper path towards rehabilitation is lacking to some extent. This is not to suggest that DBT is ineffective in treating patients with psychological disorders such as bipolarity, mood disorders, etc. One of the strengths of DBT is that it is able to provide one-on-one or group sessions wherein the patient learns about how to manage distress or how to enhance his or her acceptance skills. DBT also focuses on regulating the emotions and practicing mindfulness as a calming technique so that the patient can adequately and effectively respond to emotional disturbances.

Thus, the treatment has both strengths and weaknesses that both limit its effectiveness and drive its effectiveness. Some patients will benefit more from a treatment like family therapy, depending on the nature and extent of the psychological disorder.

As Anderson et al. (2015) indicate, because of the limitations of both DBT and family-based therapy and the complementary nature of the two, both can be utilized by a therapist in order to provide a more integrated and supportive approach to healing. Anderson et al. (2015) state specifically that "given the strengths and limitations of either independent treatment, DBT and FBT-BN complement one another and together can address the range of symptoms and behaviors typically seen in adolescent bulimia nervosa" (p. 325). Thus, the research indicates that DBT can be a most effective strategy when utilized in conjunction with family-based therapy in certain instances where the patient is in need of a stronger support system.

In conclusion, DBT is a form of therapy that focuses on taking a social/dialectical approach to addressing the issue of strong emotional swings and surges in a patient's mood and behavior. The therapy uses the technique of identifying modes of thought that impact the emotions and ways in which these thoughts and emotions can be better regulated.

References

Anderson, L. et al. (2015). The Integration of Family-Based Treatment and Dialectical

Behavior Therapy for Adolescent Bulimia Nervosa: Philosophical and Practical Considerations. Journal of Treatment & Prevention, 23(4): 323-335.

Andreasson, K. et al. (2016). Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy versus collaborative assessment and management of suicidality treatment for reduction of self-harm in adults. Depression and Anxiety, 33: 520-530.