Introduction

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was originally developed by Linehan for the treatment of chronically parasuicidal adult outpatients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In less than a decade, this approach has transformed the way numerous practitioners conceptualize and treat patients with this disorder. In their introduction to this special section, Miller and Rathus highlight eight aspects of DBT that distinguish this therapy from standard CBT. DBT includes a flexible principle-based rather than manual-based set of interventions, the notion of a dialectical worldview, a biosocial theory of BPD, specified treatment functions and modes, the concept of stage of disorder, a hierarchy of treatment targets, an integration of acceptance and validation strategies with change strategies, and a significant emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. The authors then introduce five new applications and adaptations of DBT to different populations followed by a commentary by the originator of the treatment.