Effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy in patients with suicidal behaviour: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33936/psidial.v4i1.7349Keywords:
Efficacy, Dialectical behavior therapy, Patients, Suicidal behaviorAbstract
The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) has proven to be effective in the treatment of patients with suicidal behavior and borderline personality disorder. The objective of this review is to gather evidence on the effectiveness of DBT in relation to suicidal behavior. A total of 1205 articles were examined through keyword searches, reducing the number to nine studies that evaluated the effectiveness of DBT in this population, regardless of variables such as gender and age. An analytical study design with retrospective data collection was used, utilizing five databases with articles published in the last 20 years. The results indicated that DBT was effective in reducing suicidal ideation and behaviors, as well as decreasing the frequency and repetition of self-harm in patients with suicidal behavior. Additionally, significant improvements were observed in emotional stability and emotional regulation capacity of the patients. These findings support the use of DBT as an effective intervention in the treatment of patients with suicidal behavior and borderline personality disorder.
Downloads
References
Andreasson, K., Krogh, J., Wenneberg, C., Jessen, H., Krakauer, K., Gluud, C., . . . Nordentoft, M. (2016). Effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy versus collaborative assessment and management of suicidality treatment for reduction of self-harm in adults with borderline personality traits and disorder—a randomized observer-blinded clinical trial. Depression and Anxiety, 33(6), 520-530. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22472
Asarnow, R. J., Berk, M., Bedics, J., Adrian, M., Gallop, R., Cohen, J., . . . McCauley, E. (2021). Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicidal Self-Harming Youth: Emotion Regulation, Mechanisms, and Mediators. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry., 60(9), 1105-1115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.01.016
Cuesta-Revé, D. (2017). Aspectos epidemiológicos del suicidio en adolescentes. Revita Mexicana de Pediatría, 84(2), 72-77.
De la Vega , I., y Sánchez Quintero, S. (2013). Terapia dialéctico conductual para el trastorno de personalidad límite. Acción Psicológica, 10(1), 45-55. https://doi.org/dx.doi.org/10.5944/ap.10.1.7032
Fernández, A. S.-M. (2022). Una introducción a la Terapia Dialéctico Conductual Radicalmente Abierta y una revisión sistemática de las evidencias de su eficacia. Apuntes de Psicología, 40 (2), 97-107. doi: DOI: 10.55414/ap.v40i2.1419 Universidad de Huelva, Universidad de Sevilla
Gil, M. E., Peñaloza, J. L., Torre, A. E., & Loyo, L. M. (2025). Programa de 10 Sesiones en Entrenamiento de Habilidades DBT-A con Universitarios Mexicanos: Ensayo Clínico Piloto. Revista de Psicología y Educación, 20(1) 35-46. doi:. https://doi.org/10.70478/
Harned, M., Korslund, K., y Linehan, M. (2014). A pilot randomized controlled trial of Dialectical Behavior Therapy with and without the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure protocol for suicidal and self-injuring women with borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 7, 7-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.01.008
Haro, M. V., & Patricia Mozota Chaudrón, A. G. (2023). Revisión de revisiones sobre la eficacia de los tratamientos psicológicos para adolescentes. Revista de Psicología Clínica con Niños y Adolescentes, 10 (1)91-98. doi:doi: 10.21134/rpcna.2023.10.1.8
Hayes, S. (2004). Acceptance and commitment therapy, relational frame theory, and the third wave of behavioral and cognitive therapies. Behavior Therapy, 35(4), 639-665. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(04)80013-3
Hayes, S., Villatte, M., Levin, M., y Hildebrandt, M. (2011). Open, aware, and active: contextual approaches as an emerging trend in the behavioral and cognitive therapies. Annual review of clinical psychology, 7, 1141-168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104449
Haynos, A. F., Fruzzetti, A. E., Anderson, C., Briggs, D., y Walenta, J. (2016). Effects of dialectical behavior therapy skills training on outcomes for mental health staff in a child and adolescent residential setting. Journal of hospital administration, 5(2), 55-61. https://doi.org/10.5430/jha.v5n2p55
Higgins, J., y Thomas, J. (22 de agosto de 2023). Cochrane Training. Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods: https://training.cochrane.org
INEC. (8 de Agosto de 2021). Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos de Ecuador. Registro estadístico de defunciones generales.: https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/Registro-Estadistico-de-Defunciones-Generales
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Nueva York: The Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2014). DBT Skills Training Manual (second edition ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (first edition ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
McCauley, E., Berk, M., Asarnow, J., Adrian, M., Cohen, J., Korslund, K., . . . Linehan, M. (2018). Efficacy of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents at high risk for suicide: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 777-785. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.1109
McMain, S., Guimond, T., Barnhart, R., Habinski, L., y Streiner, D. (2017). A randomized trial of brief dialectical behaviour therapy skills training in suicidal patients suffering from borderline disorder. Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica, 135(2), 138-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12664
Mehlum, L., Tormoen, A., Ramberg, M., Haga, E., Diep, L., Laberg, S., . . . Groholt, B. (2014). Dialectical behavioural therapy versus improved usual care for suicidal and self-destructive adolescents. 10-year follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1084-1098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2016.01.005
Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. (2021). Lineamientos Operativos para la atención a personas con intención y/o intentos suicidas en establecimientos del Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. Retrieved 1 de Septiembre de 2022, from https://www.salud.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Lineamiento-de-intencion-e-intentos-de-suicidio.pdf
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (17 de Junio de 2021). OMS. Suicide: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
Paredes, C. S. (2022). Estratégias de terapia dialéctica conductual para depresión en adolescentes. Una propuesta teórica. Revista de Investigación Talentos, 9 (2) 1-17. doi:https://doi.org/10.33789/talentos.9.2.172
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Darlyn Alexander Pinargote Tuárez, William Alexander Tapia Vélez

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.