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Cognitive-behavioral programs which are structured, skills-based, and risk-focused have been found to reduce recidivism rates by up to 55%. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) exemplifies all of these components, and has been rapidly adapted and implemented in correctional and forensic psychiatric facilities worldwide to reduce recidivism. Regrettably, the widespread implementation of adapted DBT has outpaced the research on its effectiveness for this purpose. Thus, it is currently unclear whether these programs are meeting the rehabilitation needs of these systems. In the following article, a qualitative systematic literature review of all DBT programs within forensic psychiatric and correctional populations using the PRISMA statement guidelines is presented, along with a detailed exploration of how these programs align with best practices in offender rehabilitation, and whether they are effective in reducing recidivism risk. Results offer very preliminary evidence that DBT has the potential to reduce recidivism risk in criminal justice systems if applied within a Risk-Need-Responsivity framework.

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Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is designed to target maladaptive behaviors, such as aggression. The present pilot study assessed whether DBT reduces aggression, anger, and hostility in a forensic psychiatric sample (N D 15). A randomized waitlist control pre-post/follow-up crossover design was employed. Group-level findings indicated a reduction in hostility during and following DBT. Individuallevel findings indicated some reductions in aggression during and following DBT. Individual-level findings indicated that participants in DBT improved more on measures of aggression compared to participants in treatment as usual. These results are preliminary. Implications and future directions in research are discussed.

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