Adapting dialectical behavior therapy in Mandarin‐speaking Chinese patients with borderline personality disorder: An open pilot trial in Taiwan
Abstract
Introduction: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is the most commonly used treatment for patients suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, data on its applications in Asian countries remain lacking. This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of applying Mandarin‐translated DBT among suicidal Chinese patients with BPD in Taiwan. Methods: An open‐label trial design was implemented for the 1‐year standard DBT model. Patients from a psychiatric outpatient department in a general hospital in Taiwan with a history of ≥2 episodes of suicidal behavior within the previous year and who scored >40 on the Borderline Symptom List were invited to participate in this trial. Outcomes of suicidal behaviors, severity of BPD and depression symptoms, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and quality of life were assessed at the beginning of the treatment and every 3 months until 12 months. Results: Eighteen patients participated, three of whom (16.7%) dropped out. Significant improvements were found in the frequency and severity of suicidal behaviors and ideations, depressive symptoms, and BPD symptoms beginning as early as the third month after initiating DBT. Discussion: This pilot study found that DBT may be an effective and feasible intervention for Mandarin‐speaking individuals with a recent history of suicidal behaviors with BPD. Future randomized controlled trials with comparison groups are needed to further determine the efficacy of DBT on this population.
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The Mandarin version of the DBT skills manual has been translated and utilized in several open-pilot and randomized-controlled studies.
“The Mandarin version of the DBT skills manual has been translated and utilized in several open-pilot and randomized-controlled studies by the Department of Psychiatry and Center for Suicide Prevention of the MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan [9].”
From The efficacy of applying the Interpersonal Effectiveness skills of dialectical behavior therapy into communication skills workshop for clinical nurses (2023) · cites this paper as [9]
In Taiwan, DBT has been adapted for Chinese-speaking patients with BPD, and an open-label trial showed that participation in DBT was associated with reductions in suicidal behaviors and ideations, depressive symptoms, and BPD symptoms.
“In Taiwan, DBT has been adapted for Chinese-speaking patients with BPD, and results from an open-label trial showed that participation in DBT was associated with reductions in suicidal behaviors and ideations, depressive symptoms, and BPD symptoms [29].”
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- Authors
- Chang, T., Liu, S., Korslund, K., Lin, C., Lin, Y., Huang, H., Chen, S., Chang, Y., Sun, F., & Wu, S.
- Affiliations
- Mackay Memorial Hospital (TW)
- Bellevue Hospital Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wu, Shu‐I
- ORCID
- Venue
- Asia-Pacific Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2021-03-08
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e12451-e12451
- ISSN
- 1758-5864 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-5872
- OpenAlex
- W3135851765
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 68
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 1.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Asia-Pacific Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Keywords
- dialectical behavior therapy, borderline personality disorder, suicidal behavior, suicidal ideation, Mandarin translation, Chinese patients, treatment feasibility, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, quality of life, cross-cultural adaptation
- MeSH terms
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Behavior Therapy, Borderline Personality Disorder, China, Humans, Pilot Projects, Quality of Life, Taiwan, Self-Injurious Behavior, Treatment Outcome
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