The Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has emerged as a leading treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in adolescents, offering comprehensive skills training and emotion regulation techniques. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluates the efficacy of DBT in reducing BPD symptoms and improving overall functioning in adolescents. Through a thorough review of the literature, the meta-analysis synthesizes effect sizes from RCTs assessing the effectiveness of DBT compared to control conditions (e.g., treatment as usual, active control interventions) in targeting core symptoms of BPD, including emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, impulsivity, and self-harm behaviors. Additionally, it examines potential moderators of treatment outcomes, such as treatment duration, intensity of therapy, therapist adherence, and participant characteristics (e.g., age, comorbidities), to better understand the factors influencing the effectiveness of DBT for BPD in adolescents.