The application of dialectical behavior therapy to adolescent borderline clients

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been shown to be effective for adult, female borderline personality disordered patients and shows promise to be the treatment of choice for emotionally unstable patients in general. In this article we present an overview of the application of the DBT treatment to adolescent borderline clients, and illustrate the intervention in a 13-year-old male who presented for treatment with symptoms of identity disturbance, role confusion, frequent suicide ideation, and impulsive self-damaging behavior. Our intention is to illustrate the use of DBT with this population, and to explain by example some of the modifications we think are useful in using DBT with inner-city minority youth. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.