A dialectical behavior therapy program for people with an eating disorder and borderline personality disorder--description and outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and evaluate a full dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) program for people with comorbid eating disorder and borderline personality disorder. The program included a novel skills training module written especially for eating-disordered patients.


METHODS
The program was run for 18 months. Days in hospital and major acts of self-harm were counted for the 18 months before and after DBT.


RESULTS
There were no dropouts from the program. The patients seemed to benefit. Most patients were neither eating disordered nor self-harming at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Full DBT is an expensive and demanding treatment but deserves consideration for patients with an eating disorder and co-morbid borderline personality disorder and self-harm. There is a need for a more systematic and thorough evaluation.
Palmer
Robert L
RL
Department of Psychiatry, Leicester Warwick Medical School, Brandon Mental Health Unit, Leicester General Hospital, Gwendolen Road, Leicester LE5 4PW, United Kingdom.
Birchall
Helen
H
Damani
Sadhana
S
Gatward
Nicholas
N
McGrain
Lesley
L
Parker
Lorraine
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome