DBT's Biosocial Theory
DBT’s biosocial model is a theory of how symptoms arise and are maintained. It is a NO-BLAME model.
The biosocial theory in DBT explains how symptoms arise and problems continue, this applies to BPD as well as a variety of psychopathologies (Vaughn, 2018). The bio piece of this theory essentially proposes individuals are inborn (i.e., born with) certain sensitivities (Daros et al., 2018; Vaughn). For instance, these sensitivities might be related to one’s skin (e.g., how one’s skin reacts to perfumes, textures, detergents) or digestive sensitivities (e.g., what one can eat or what causes more difficulties). This same idea is applied to emotions. According to biosocial theory emotion dysregulation develops from a biological predisposition for an “over-sensitivity” as well as an overreactive emotional response system. This predisposition and overreactive response system is frequently called “emotional vulnerability” (Daros et al.). This component is not something that can necessarily be changed as it is considered a part of one’s genetic make-up (Vaughn). However, emotional vulnerability alone, is not enough to cause severe difficulties. When emotional vulnerability is coupled with aversive childhood experiences (ACEs) (e.g., emotional neglect, social rejection, interpersonal violence, and/or invalidation), it may result in biological and psychological changes in the development of effective emotion regulation (Daros et al.).
In DBT, the social piece of the theory refers to problematic transactions over time for the individual in an invalidating environment that causes the problem (e.g., distress, emotion dysregulation, distorted self-image, challenging interpersonal issues, and dysfunctional self-harming or risk-taking behaviors) (Daros et al., 2018; Vaughn, 2018). An invalidating environment is an environment in which the individual does not fit, it may be or may not be abusive. For instance, the individual with the heightened emotional sensitivity may feel somewhat like a lion cub born into a family of house cats and the invalidating/mismatched transactions over time lead to pervasive emotion dysregulation (Sheller, 2015).The core issue in DBT is pervasive emotion dysregulation.
That being said, DBT holds to a no-blame model (i.e., no one is at fault) (Linehan, 2015); rather it is the transactions between the individual and the invalidating environment that causes the problem. Thus, the biological sensitivity paired with the negative transactions in an invalidating environment causes the emotion dysregulation and tends to exacerbate symptoms which leads to negative patterns of maladaptive coping (Daros et al. 2018; Linehan; Vaughn, 2018). DBT seeks to identify these patterns and change them (Linehan).
In DBT, the social piece of the theory refers to problematic transactions over time for the individual in an invalidating environment that causes the problem (e.g., distress, emotion dysregulation, distorted self-image, challenging interpersonal issues, and dysfunctional self-harming or risk-taking behaviors) (Daros et al., 2018; Vaughn, 2018). An invalidating environment is an environment in which the individual does not fit, it may be or may not be abusive. For instance, the individual with the heightened emotional sensitivity may feel somewhat like a lion cub born into a family of house cats and the invalidating/mismatched transactions over time lead to pervasive emotion dysregulation (Sheller, 2015).The core issue in DBT is pervasive emotion dysregulation.
That being said, DBT holds to a no-blame model (i.e., no one is at fault) (Linehan, 2015); rather it is the transactions between the individual and the invalidating environment that causes the problem. Thus, the biological sensitivity paired with the negative transactions in an invalidating environment causes the emotion dysregulation and tends to exacerbate symptoms which leads to negative patterns of maladaptive coping (Daros et al. 2018; Linehan; Vaughn, 2018). DBT seeks to identify these patterns and change them (Linehan).
