Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) has been developed and extensively researched by Marsha Linehan and her team as a linked group and individual therapy approach for people with self-harming behaviour and a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (Linehan 1993a). The programme was originally developed as a community outpatient approach, but has been adapted for use in specialist inpatient units (Bohus et al. 2000; Swenson et al. 2001; KroÈger et al. 2006).