Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A New Behavioral Approach in Clinical Social Work

Abstract

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a therapeutic intervention that adopts the idea of dialectics to achieve a balance between acceptance and the motivation of change among social work’s clients. The DBT sheds light on the contradictions in the client's life and attempts to reconcile in addition to overcoming whatever may distort the cognitive structure and hinder the client from achieving positive change in their life. The therapy is concerned with improving life skills, using techniques, which the social worker trains clients on, to help them be logically convinced of enduring crises and pressures. DBT also encourages them to change their way of thinking in dealing with such problems. Recent studies show that DBT can achieve effective results with social work’s clients. This paper attempts to review and discuss DBT in a theoretical framework as a therapeutic model that can promote the clinical practice of social work.