International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy in the Management of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, Borderline Type: A Clinical Case Study of a Young Indian Woman

Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, Borderline Type (EUPD-BT; ICD-10: F60.31), characterised by pervasive emotional dysregulation, chronic emptiness, self-harming behaviour, and unstable interpersonal relationships, presents one of the most complex challenges in clinical psychology practice. This case study documents the comprehensive clinical assessment, diagnostic formulation, and psychotherapeutic intervention of Miss N.D., a 27-year-old unmarried Indian woman referred to the Clinical Psychology Unit following inadequate response to pharmacotherapy. A thorough bio-psychosocial formulation identified an abusive romantic relationship as the primary precipitant, with heightened emotional sensitivity, poor frustration tolerance, and submissive personality traits as predisposing vulnerabilities. A 17-session Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) programme — spanning seven months — was implemented, targeting three core skill domains: Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance. Post-intervention outcomes revealed marked improvement in anger management, significant reduction in self-harming behaviour, enhanced interpersonal functioning, and increased psychological well-being. The case illustrates the clinical efficacy of culturally sensitive DBT in an Indian hospital-based outpatient setting and underscores the importance of structured, phased psychotherapeutic intervention for EUPD-BT in young adults. Keywords: Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, DBT, emotion regulation, self-harm, Indian clinical psychology, case study