From Corruption to Connection: An Integrated Perspective on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Recidivism in Forensic Settings
From Corruption to Connection: An Integrated Perspective on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Recidivism in Forensic Settings
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Issue Date
2025-12-15
Authors
Hills, Cala
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Abstract
This capstone, guided by a biosocial framework, examines the question: How effective is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in reducing recidivism factors in forensic settings? The review explored how DBT supports rehabilitation by addressing interconnected psychological, behavioural, and environmental factors associated with reoffending. A systematic search was conducted across major psychology, mental health, and criminology databases in accordance with PRISMA (2020) guidelines. Ten peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2025 met inclusion criteria, spanning randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, mixed-methods, and qualitative designs. Four additional review articles published from 2017 onward were included to strengthen theoretical and contextual grounding. Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), guided by abductive reasoning, was used to synthesize patterns across the literature. Findings indicated that DBT consistently improves emotion regulation, impulse control, coping, and prosocial decision-making—factors strongly linked to reduced reoffending. Adaptations such as shortened modules, simplified materials, and trauma-informed delivery enhanced accessibility, particularly for individuals with intellectual disabilities or co-occurring substance-use and mental-health challenges. However, variability in program length, inconsistent follow-up, and limited attention to cultural diversity constrained generalizability. Overall, DBT shows strong potential as an ethically grounded and flexible intervention that promotes relational safety and rehabilitation in correctional settings, though evidence on long-term recidivism and culturally diverse outcomes remains limited.
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Keywords
dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) , recidivsm , trauma , justice-involved (JI) , forensic setting (FS) , rehabilitation , mental health , substance use (SU) , biosocial , adaptation , intellectual disability (ID)
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess