Dialectical behaviour therapy for special populations: treatment with adolescents and their caregivers
Author:
Charlton Margaret,Dykstra Eric J.
Abstract
PurposeThis paper aims to present preliminary findings regarding the types of adaptations made to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and their effectiveness in working with a population who have both intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses.Design/methodology/approachA pilot study conducted with adolescent clients in a day treatment program was completed in an effort to determine the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy for special populations (DBT‐SP). The study utilized all three components of DBT, in addition to the normal milieu management techniques. As such, clients received DBT‐SP focused individual therapy, skills training groups using the DBT‐SP skills training manual, and the whole treatment team staff participated in a DBT‐SP supervision/consultation group. Observations of client behavior by staff, client outcome when leaving the program, and daily diary card information was collected.FindingsAlthough there are a number of issues that must be addressed when providing psychotherapy to individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses, many psychotherapeutic techniques are effective if they are suitably modified (Bütz et al., 2000; Nezu and Nezu, 1994) as has been found with DBT‐SP.Research limitations/implicationsAs with most pilot studies, there are many limitations to the data. While each client serves as his/her own control, there is no random control group as all the youths receive DBT‐SP. Further, DBT‐SP is used in conjunction with other techniques and the study lacks the ability to control for any additional factors in the students' environment that may influence their behavior. In addition, clients enter and leave the program at different times, and so the data gathered can be hard to interpret. Thus, far, the data are suggestive, but not conclusive, regarding the effectiveness of DBT‐SP.Originality/valueThe information in this paper will be useful to therapists providing treatment to clients with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses.
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health
Reference12 articles.
1. Bütz, M.R., Bowling, J.B. and Bliss, C.A. (2000), “Psychotherapy with the mentally retarded: a review of the literature and the implications”, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol. 31, pp. 42‐7. 2. Charlton, M. and Tallant, B. (2003), “Trauma treatment with clients who have dual diagnoses: developmental disabilities and mental illness”, Proceedings of the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Annual Conference, NADD Press, Kingston, NY, Vol. 20. 3. Dykstra, E. and Charlton, M. (2003), “Dialectical behavior therapy: a new direction in psychotherapy”, Proceedings of the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed Annual Conference, NADD Press, Kingston, NY, Vol. 20, pp. 33‐7. 4. Hurley, A.D., Pfadt, A., Tomasulo, D. and Gardner, W.I. (1996), “Counseling and psychotherapy”, in Jacobson, J.W. and Mulick, J.A. (Eds), Manual of Diagnosis and Professional Practice in Mental Retardation, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, pp. 371‐80. 5. Linehan, M.M. (1993b), Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder, The Guilford Press, New York, NY.
Cited by
22 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献，注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献，订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
|
|