What are the primary treatment targets for individual therapy in Stage 1 DBT?

The primary treatment targets for individual therapy in Stage 1 DBT focus on behaviors that significantly affect a person's safety, therapy participation, and overall quality of life.

The correct answer highlights three critical areas: life-threatening behavior, which includes suicidal thoughts and actions; therapy-interfering behavior, which encompasses any issues that hinder the therapeutic process, such as non-compliance or resistance; and quality of life interfering behavior, which pertains to behaviors that diminish the individual's ability to lead a fulfilling life, such as substance abuse or severe interpersonal difficulties.

This multi-faceted focus ensures that the most urgent and impactful issues are addressed first, laying a strong foundation for further skills development and emotional regulation in later stages of therapy. Each of these targets plays a crucial role in achieving stability and safety, which are essential before addressing concerns like family dynamics or improving social skills, which are not prioritized until later stages in DBT.