DBT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Answer -Modification of cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT). DBT is a treatment designed specifically for individuals with self harm
behaviors, such as self-cutting, suicide thoughts, urges to suicide, and suicide attempts.
Why do people engage in self-destructive behaviors? - Answer -The key assumption in
DBT is that self-destructive behaviors are learned coping techniques for unbearably
intense and negative emotions.
Emotional vulnerability - Answer -Individuals who are emotionally vulnerable tend to
have quick, intense, and difficult to control emotional reactions that make their lives
seem like a rollercoaster.
Invalidating environment - Answer -An invalidating environment often refers to people.
Invalidating refers to a failure in treating the person in manner that is kind and
respectful, with care and understanding. Example: Mismatch personalities between
child and parents, shy child, parents are not supportive, but rather tease and criticize.
Psychological problems - Answer -Emotional vulnerability and an invalidating
environment may both be contributing factors to psychological problems. Borderline
personality disorder often arises from the transaction- between emotional vulnerability
and the invalidating environment.
DBT consists of (3) main modes of treatment - Answer -Three Modes of DBT include:
1. Individual therapy (once a week for an hour utilizing cognitive behavioral techniques)
2. Skills group - 2 hour weekly skills group; 4 sets of skills:
Mindfulness
Interpersonal effectiveness (IE)
Emotion regulation (ER)
Distress tolerance (DT)
3. Telephone Crises Management - Contract to call therapist for suicide or self-harm
behaviors.
Standard DBT - Answer -The individual therapist is "in charge" of the treatment.
Goals of treatment in DBT - Answer -Stage 1: Moving from Being Out of Control on
One's Behavior to Being in Control
Target 1: Reduce and then eliminate life-threatening behaviors (suicide
attempts/thinking, intentional self-harm)
Target 2: Reduce and then eliminate behaviors that interfere with treatment
Target 3: Decrease behaviors that destroy the quality of life.
Target 4: Learn skills that help people do the following:
a. Control their attention (stop worrying about the future)
b. Start new relationships
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Answer -Modification of cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT). DBT is a treatment designed specifically for individuals with self harm
behaviors, such as self-cutting, suicide thoughts, urges to suicide, and suicide attempts.
Why do people engage in self-destructive behaviors? - Answer -The key assumption in
DBT is that self-destructive behaviors are learned coping techniques for unbearably
intense and negative emotions.
Emotional vulnerability - Answer -Individuals who are emotionally vulnerable tend to
have quick, intense, and difficult to control emotional reactions that make their lives
seem like a rollercoaster.
Invalidating environment - Answer -An invalidating environment often refers to people.
Invalidating refers to a failure in treating the person in manner that is kind and
respectful, with care and understanding. Example: Mismatch personalities between
child and parents, shy child, parents are not supportive, but rather tease and criticize.
Psychological problems - Answer -Emotional vulnerability and an invalidating
environment may both be contributing factors to psychological problems. Borderline
personality disorder often arises from the transaction- between emotional vulnerability
and the invalidating environment.
DBT consists of (3) main modes of treatment - Answer -Three Modes of DBT include:
1. Individual therapy (once a week for an hour utilizing cognitive behavioral techniques)
2. Skills group - 2 hour weekly skills group; 4 sets of skills:
Mindfulness
Interpersonal effectiveness (IE)
Emotion regulation (ER)
Distress tolerance (DT)
3. Telephone Crises Management - Contract to call therapist for suicide or self-harm
behaviors.
Standard DBT - Answer -The individual therapist is "in charge" of the treatment.
Goals of treatment in DBT - Answer -Stage 1: Moving from Being Out of Control on
One's Behavior to Being in Control
Target 1: Reduce and then eliminate life-threatening behaviors (suicide
attempts/thinking, intentional self-harm)
Target 2: Reduce and then eliminate behaviors that interfere with treatment
Target 3: Decrease behaviors that destroy the quality of life.
Target 4: Learn skills that help people do the following:
a. Control their attention (stop worrying about the future)
b. Start new relationships
