The family as a crucial link in treating adolescents with severe emotional dysregulation – the perspective of dialectical behaviour therapy

Introduction and objective: Dialectical behaviour therapy is one of the most scientifically documented methods for treating patients with emotional dysregulation, tendencies towards self-harm, suicide risk. It is a programme that includes individual therapy, skills training, phone coaching, and consultation teams for therapists. Families and loved ones can benefit from participating in the Family Connections programme, which supports their knowledge of emotional dysregulation and coping strategies. This paper attempts to show how, within the framework of this therapy, the family can be involved in the therapeutic process of a teenager. Materials and methods: The basic principles of dialectical behaviour therapy and the methods and justification for involving the family at various levels of treatment for a young person are presented. Results: It is shown that dialectical behaviour therapy should be considered an effective approach for adolescents with severe emotional dysregulation and for their families. Based on the transactional model, involving families in the treatment process appears not only important but even essential. Neglecting the role of the family may significantly reduce the effectiveness of the therapy. Family participation in dialectical behaviour therapy interventions helps in identifying and managing emotions and impulses towards destructive actions, also improving family relationships and strengthening the sense of support. Parents involved in the programmes report an increase in the sense of control and a reduction in feelings of guilt. Conclusions: Scientifically proven, effective therapeutic methods, such as dialectical behaviour therapy, can be successfully applied to adolescents, taking into account the involvement of their families in forms such as multifamily skills training or participation in the Family Connections programme.