The effectiveness of individual schema therapy in older adults with borderline personality disorder: A multiple‐baseline case series design

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of schema therapy (ST) in older adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD).MethodsMultiple baseline case series design with five BPD patients, with a mean age of 66. After a baseline phase with random length, patients received weekly ST sessions for a year, followed by follow‐up sessions during 6 months. Participants rated the credibility of negative core beliefs weekly; various secondary outcome measures were assessed every 6 months (severity of BPD, early maladaptive schemas, schema modes, personality functioning, maladaptive personality traits, psychological distress and quality of life), and BPD diagnosis was assessed before baseline and after follow‐up. Data were analysed with mixed regression analyses and paired t‐tests.ResultsResults revealed that ST led to a significant decrease in credibility of negative core beliefs, with high effect sizes. All participants remitted from their BPD diagnosis.ConclusionThis is the first study exploring the effectiveness of ST for BPD in older adults, and it suggests that ST can be a powerful intervention for this group of patients.

Effectiveness of Day Treatment Group Schema Therapy for Personality Disorders: A Multiple Baseline Single‐Case Study

“…2020) were selected, and together with the participant, the most representative negative core belief regarding the EMS was selected using the downward arrow technique (Khasho et al. 2023; Videler et al. 2018).…”

“…Participants determined three negative core beliefs in short statements together with the researcher during the inclusion interview. The three highest scoring EMS of the Young Schema Questionnaire 3 Short Form (YSQ-S3; Rijkeboer et al 2020) were selected, and together with the participant, the most representative negative core belief regarding the EMS was selected using the downward arrow technique (Khasho et al 2023;Videler et al 2018). The credibility of these negative core beliefs was rated weekly on a 100-point visual analogue scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 100.…”

Recent advances in research on personality disorders

“…Results revealed that 30 sessions of group schema therapy resulted in significant improvements with medium to large effect sizes after 2 years for avoidant and dependent personality disorder, but results for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder are inconclusive. In the study of Khasho et al (2023), the effectiveness of schema therapy was investigated in older adults with borderline personality disorder using a multiple baseline case series design. Results revealed that schema therapy led to a significant decrease in negative core beliefs.…”