title: Dialectical behavioural therapy for oppositional defiant disorder in adolescents: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is characterised as a recurrent pattern of defiant behaviour towards authority figures, irritability and difficulties in regulating emotions. ODD in adolescents presents similar symptomatology to borderline personality disorder (BPD). A treatment programme that has been shown to be effective for treating problems related to emotion dysregulation such as BPD is dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT). The aim of this article is to outline a case series in which we applied DBT to two adolescents diagnosed with ODD, in addition to psychiatric comorbidity and parasuicidal behaviours.
  
  
  METHODS
  We applied a training programme of 24 sessions in DBT skills, along with individual therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a decrease in impulsive behaviours, maladaptive behaviours to regulate affect, self-mutilation behaviour, number of hospitalisations, anger and depressive symptoms. The data also showed an increase in positive emotions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that DBT can be an alternative for the treatment of ODD in adolescents with psychiatric comorbidity and parasuicidal behaviours.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Magisterio y Ciencias de la Educación Universidad Católica de Valencia, 46008 Valencia, Spain. joseheliodoro.marco@ucv.es
authors.forename: José Heliodoro
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Azucena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Palacios
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans