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A 24-year-old woman with borderline personality disorder is in the interpersonal effectiveness module of her DBT skills group. She describes difficulty asking her employer for time off for medical appointments, fearing rejection and becoming either passive or explosive. Her therapist coaches her to Describe the situation, Express her feelings, Assert her needs, Reinforce the other person, stay Mindful, Appear confident, and Negotiate. Which DBT skill set is the therapist teaching?
Explanation
DBT has four modules, and assigning specific skills to the correct module is essential for clinical application. DEAR MAN belongs to interpersonal effectiveness and is used when patients need to make requests or set boundaries assertively. It is important to distinguish it from TIPP (distress tolerance), opposite action (emotion regulation), and wise mind (mindfulness).
Key Takeaway
DEAR MAN (Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate) is the core DBT interpersonal effectiveness skill for assertive communication.