Impact of dialectical behavior therapy on incidence of suicidal attempts and non-suicidal self injury among a sample of Egyptian borderline personality disorder patients

Abstract

Introduction

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive psycho-social treatment developed by Marsha Linehan and originally designed for persons meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT is considered as a standard evidence based treatment for suicidal BPD patients in most international guidelines. Although its effectiveness has been proved in multiple studies across different patient populations but almost all the research was conducted in North American or European countries. The current study was the first trial to apply DBT in Egypt with a different language and culture than where the treatment was originally developed.

Objectives

Assessment of incidence of suicidal attempts and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among a sample of Egyptian BPD patients enrolled in an outpatient DBT program.

Aim

The aim of the current study was to estimate impact of comprehensive DBT on suicidal attempts and NSSI when applied to Egyptian BPD patients.

Methods

Twenty-five BPD patients, 4 males and 21 females, were included in a comprehensive outpatient DBT program for one year and incidence of suicidal attempts and NSSI were calculated.

Results

Five patients only attempted suicide again with an incidence of 20% and a mean of one attempt/patient. Seven patients attempted NSSI with an incidence of 28%, an overall 22 incidents and a mean of 3 incidents/patient.

Conclusion

Although this was the first time to apply DBT in an Egyptian population, DBT proved to be an effective psycho-therapeutic intervention for suicidal BPD patients across regardless of different language or culture.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.