The effects of a psychological treatment, Mentalization-Based Treatment, was studied using a research protocol with patients with mood swings and impulsive behavior (borderline personality disorder).
Background: Mentalization-based treatment (MBT) in borderline personality disorder (BPD) has a growing evidence base, but there is a lack of effectiveness and moderator studies. The present study examined the effectiveness of MBT in a naturalistic setting and explored psychiatric and psychological moderators of outcome. Method: Borderline and general psychiatric symptoms, suicidality, self-harm, alexithymia and self-image were measured in a group of BPD patients (n=75) receiving MBT; assessments were made at baseline, and subsequently after 6, 12 and 18 months (when treatment ended). Borderline symptoms were the primary outcome variable.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
75
See Arm description
Borderline Symptoms
Key psychiatric and borderline symptomatology as measured by the Karolinska Borderline And Symptoms Scales (KABOSS-S) was the primary outcome measure. The KABOSS-S consists of three general symptom scales (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms) derived from the Comprehensive Psychopathological Self-rating Scale for Affective Syndromes and one specific borderline scale compromising the items "Mood swings", "Ability to understand own emotions", "Self-control", "Self-soothing", "Feelings of abandonment", "Feelings of emptiness", "Self-image" and "Reality Presence". Each item is scored on a Likert scale from 0 ("no presence") to 6 ("severe").
Time frame: 0-18 months
Suicidality
Suicidality was measured by the Suicide Assessment Scale, Self-Report (SUAS-S), which covers factors known to influence suicide risk, such as affect, bodily states, control and coping, emotional reactivity, as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviour.
Time frame: 0-18 months
General Psychiatric Symptoms
General psychiatric symptoms were measured using the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R), an established instrument with well-known reliability and validity.
Time frame: 0-18 months
Self-harm
Self-harm was measured by the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory-9 (DSHI-9), which has well-known reliability and validity. This measure was introduced halfway through the study period (N=42).
Time frame: 0-18 months
Alexithymia
The Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) was used to measure alexithymia. It comprises 20 items divided into three subscales: Difficulty Identifying Feelings, Difficulty Expressing Feelings and Externally Oriented Thinking. TAS-20 was used to measure affective mentalization.
Time frame: 0-18 months
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Self-image
Self-image was assessed using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB). SASB is based on a circumplex model, measuring self-image and interpersonal interactions in relation to three interpersonal "surfaces" (i.e. actions of others, reactions to others and the introject, or what can be called the self-image. The third surface (self-image) was used, which comprises eight clusters of self-image: 1) Autonomy; 2) Self-affirmation; 3) Active self-love; 4) Self-protection; 5) Self-control; 6) Self-blame; 7) Self-attack; and 8) Self-neglect.
Time frame: 0-18 months