ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses many of the potential challenges clinicians face when working with adolescents with BPD. First, we present the diagnostic issues related to an adolescent population. Second, we review issues related to the families, peers, and larger systems (e.g., schools) that reciprocally influence the adolescent and the treatment. Third, we discuss specific treatment concerns and propose solutions, including how to effectively manage therapists’ own reactions to working with this population. Many of the clinical vignettes and suggested interventions in this chapter derive from our experience working in an outpatient adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program. As described later in this book, DBT is an evidence-based treatment effective for suicidal multi-problem individuals with promising data published with suicidal adolescents diagnosed with borderline features (Rathus & Miller, 2002). doi:10.1300/J200v06n01_08 [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: <https://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2008 by The Haworth Press. All rights reserved.]
