Dialectical Behavior Therapy for patients with borderline personality disorder and drug-dependence

A randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate whether Dialectical B ehavior Therapy (DBT), an effective cognitive-behavioral treatment for suic idal individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) would also be e ffective for drug-dependent women with BPD when compared with treatment-as- usual (TAU) in the community. Subjects were randomly, assigned to either DB T or TAU for a year of treatment. Subjects were assessed at 4, 8, and 12 mo nths, and at a 16-month follow-up. Subjects assigned to DBT had significant ly greater reductions in drug abuse measured both by structured interviews and urinalyses through- the treatment year and at follow-up than did subjec ts assigned to TAU. DBT also maintained subjects in treatment better than d id TAU, and subjects assigned to DBT had significantly greater gains in glo bal and social adjustment at follow-up than did those assigned to TAU. DBT has been shown to be more effective le: than treatment-as-usual in treating drug abuse in;this study, providing more sz support for DBT as an effectiv e treatment for severely dysfunctional BPD patients across a range of prese nting problems.