The Hidden Curriculum of DBT Skills Training
When we think about what clients gain from DBT Skills Training, we usually focus on the formal curriculum of distress tolerance skills, emotion regulation skills, interpersonal effectiveness skills and, of course, mindfulness skills. But there's a quieter, hidden layer of learning happening, too.
In 1968, professor Philip W. Jackson coined the term "hidden curriculum" to describe the unspoken norms, skills, and values that are unwittingly transmitted to students throughout their formal education. For example, the ability to sit still at a desk for seven hours a day is part of the hidden curriculum of most Western elementary and high school classrooms.
I argue that the concept of a hidden curriculum also applies to clients' experiences in DBT Skills Training groups. Beyond the formal content of skills instruction, clients may internalize a range of subtle but powerful norms, values, and practices that support their recovery. Here are some examples of the hidden curriculum I’ve observed in DBT Skills Training:
Waiting your turn to speak
Limiting speaking time in order to share space fairly with others
Mentally prioritizing what to share within the limited time available
Making weekly commitments to oneself—and following through
Experiencing intense emotions (e.g., shame, fear, anger) and still participating actively in group (e.g., sharing about skills practice despite embarrassment or fear)
Learning that intense emotions are survivable—they do not lead to catastrophe
Recognizing that verbal communication is valued over written, somatic, or other forms
Transmitter-oriented speech is valued in this setting over receiver-oriented speech (i.e., it’s up to the transmitter of a message to communicate wants and needs effectively—as with the DEAR-MAN skill—versus it being up to the receiver to interpret/infer another’s wants and needs effectively)
Realizing they are not alone—others also struggle with emotional and behavioral challenges
Building hope through witnessing their own and others' psychological changes over time
Trusting that professional support can be helpful in working through mental health challenges
Many of these elements may be part of the hidden curricula of other group experiences, therapeutic and otherwise. These are simply the patterns I have most often observed in DBT Skills Training settings.
What do you think?
Have you noticed elements of the DBT hidden curriculum that aren't listed here?
Do you disagree with anything I’ve included?
I’d love to hear your thoughts—please comment below!