This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the beneficial and harmful effects of psychological therapies for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). B A C K G R O U N D Description of the condition Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition first recognised in the 20th century (Gunderson 2009). Historically, the term BPD was coined by Adolph Stern to describe a condition in the 'borderland' between psychosis and neurosis (Stern 1938). Subsequent psychoanalytic contributions (especially that of Kernberg 1975) have reaffirmed this distinction, emphasising that the capacity to test reality remains grossly intact but is subject to subtle distortions, especially under stress. According to current diagnostic criteria, BPD is characterised by a pervasive pattern of instability in affect regulation, impulse control , interpersonal relationships, and self-image (APA 2013; WHO 1993). Clinical hallmarks include emotional dysregulation, impulsive aggression, repeated self-injury, and chronic suicidal tendencies (Fonagy 2009; Lieb 2004). Whereas some authors have suggested that it is a variant of affective disorders (Akiskal 2004), others claim that it is only the causes of these diseases that partially overlap in BPD (Paris 2007). Despite the difficulties in defining and delimiting the condition, BPD is still being widely researched. Its importance stems from the considerable psychological suffering of the persons concerned (
Background
A recently updated Cochrane review supports the efficacy of psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Aims
To evaluate the effects of standalone and add-on psychotherapeutic treatments more concisely.
Method
We applied the same methods as the 2020 Cochrane review, but focused on adult samples and comparisons of active treatments and unspecific control conditions. Standalone treatments (i.e. necessarily including individual psychotherapy as either the sole or one of several treatment components) and add-on interventions (i.e. complementing any ongoing individual BPD treatment) were analysed separately. Primary outcomes were BPD severity, self-harm, suicide-related outcomes and psychosocial functioning. Secondary outcomes were remaining BPD diagnostic criteria, depression and attrition.
Results
Thirty-one randomised controlled trials totalling 1870 participants were identified. Among standalone treatments, statistically significant effects of low overall certainty were observed for dialectical behaviour therapy (self-harm: standardised mean difference (SMD) −0.54, P = 0.006; psychosocial functioning: SMD −0.51, P = 0.01) and mentalisation-based treatment (self-harm: risk ratio 0.51, P < 0.0007; suicide-related outcomes: risk ratio 0.10, P < 0.0001). For adjunctive interventions, moderate-quality evidence of beneficial effects was observed for DBT skills training (BPD severity: SMD −0.66, P = 0.002; psychosocial functioning: SMD −0.45, P = 0.002), and statistically significant low-certainty evidence was observed for the emotion regulation group (BPD severity: mean difference −8.49, P < 0.00001), manual-assisted cognitive therapy (self-harm: mean difference −3.03, P = 0.03; suicide-related outcomes: SMD −0.96, P = 0.005) and the systems training for emotional predictability and problem-solving (BPD severity: SMD −0.48, P = 0.002).
Conclusions
There is reasonable evidence to conclude that psychotherapeutic interventions are helpful for individuals with BPD. Replication studies are needed to enhance the certainty of findings.
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