[Dialectical behavior therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in survivors of childhood sexual abuse]

Abstract

So far, no specifically tailored and empirically evaluated psychological treatment program exists, which is tailored for adult survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childhood sexual abuse. At the Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim we developed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for PTSD (DBT-PTSD) as a residential intensive program, which is specifically tailored to the needs of these patients and which is acceptable as well as tolerable for patients and therapists. The treatment program is mainly based on the principles and methods of Dialectical Behavior Therapy according to M. Linehan and integrates methods of traumafocused cognitive-behavioural therapy. An overview is given on the treatment rational, the dynamic hierarchy of treatment focusses and the interventions used. In the internet version of this article treatment application is exemplified in a case study.