SCWK 8868 Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Elective This course is designed to instruct and prepare students to integrate and apply Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), a comprehensive and flexible evidence-based treatment. Students will learn to conduct thorough risk assessments, develop crisis management plans, understand borderline personality disorder from the DSM-IV and DBT lenses, create a DBT theory-driven case formulation and treatment plan by stages and targets, observing dialectic dilemmas, balancing acceptance and validation, integrating communication styles, applying commitment strategies, conducting chain/solution analysis, implementing diary cards and collaboratively problem-solving with clients and peers. Students will learn the four DBT modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation.
Course overview
- Department
- Social Work
- School
- SSW
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Summer
Catalog details
- Prerequisites
- SCWK7762
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.37 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.60 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 9
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Alison Macneil | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 20 of 24 |
| Fall 2025 | Rachel Budhi | 3.0 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 20 of 23 |
| Summer 2025 | Lujuana Milton | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 23 |
| Fall 2024 | Alison Macneil | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 17 of 21 |
| Fall 2024 | Kelsey Taylor | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 1–3 hrs/week | 15 of 20 |
| Summer 2024 | Alison Macneil | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 15 of 22 |
| Fall 2023 | Alison Macneil | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 of 21 |
| Fall 2023 | Elizabeth Harris | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 of 23 |
| Summer 2023 | Alison Macneil | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 of 21 |
| Fall 2022 | Alison Macneil | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 20 of 24 |
| Fall 2022 | Elizabeth Harris | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 24 |
| Summer 2022 | Erin Schaefer | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 10 of 21 |
| Fall 2021 | Alison Macneil | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | — | 10 of 18 |