Abstract
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs have been treating individuals with chronic and severe mental illness since the
1970s. While ACT programs were developed to address the treatment needs of severely mentally ill persons traditionally suffering
from chronic mental illnesses, ACT programs are seeing a growing number of persons with co-morbid personality disorders. The
efficacy of traditional ACT programs in treating individuals with co-occurring personality disorders is uncertain, in particular
individuals with co-morbid Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been proposed as
an effective approach to treating clients with BPD in this setting. The purpose of this paper is to examine the value of DBT
for individuals with BPD in ACT programs. The writers discuss the prevalence of Borderline Personality Disorders in ACT populations,
briefly review the literature on DBT in ACT, address the feasibility of implementing DBT in an ACT model, examine potential
barriers to this implementation, and highlight potential areas for future research.
1970s. While ACT programs were developed to address the treatment needs of severely mentally ill persons traditionally suffering
from chronic mental illnesses, ACT programs are seeing a growing number of persons with co-morbid personality disorders. The
efficacy of traditional ACT programs in treating individuals with co-occurring personality disorders is uncertain, in particular
individuals with co-morbid Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been proposed as
an effective approach to treating clients with BPD in this setting. The purpose of this paper is to examine the value of DBT
for individuals with BPD in ACT programs. The writers discuss the prevalence of Borderline Personality Disorders in ACT populations,
briefly review the literature on DBT in ACT, address the feasibility of implementing DBT in an ACT model, examine potential
barriers to this implementation, and highlight potential areas for future research.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-8
- DOI 10.1007/s10597-012-9485-2
- Authors
- Tracee Burroughs, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1821 Portal St, Baltimore, MD 21244, USA
- Jacqueline Somerville, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 1821 Portal St, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Journal Community Mental Health Journal
- Online ISSN 1573-2789
- Print ISSN 0010-3853