Changes in schemas of patients with severe borderline personality disorder: The Oulu BPD study |
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| Authors: | Virpi Leppänen Anna Kärki Tom Saariaho Sari Lindeman Helinä Hakko |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland;2. City of Oulu, Social and Health Services, Mental Health Services, Finland;3. Pain Clinic, Oulu University Hospital, Finland;4. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Finland;5. Central Finland Health Care District, Jyv?skyl? Central Hospital, Finland;6. Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Finland |
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| Abstract: | Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a relatively common and severe psychiatric disorder that can impair quality of life in many ways. The aim of this study was to determine whether a combined treatment model for BPD patients, utilising major principles from schema‐focused therapy (SFT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), could be more effective in relieving early maladaptive schemas of BPD patients, compared to treatment as usual (TAU). This study is a part of the Oulu BPD study conducted at mental health care services run by Oulu city social and health care services. The study is a multisite, randomized controlled trial conducted over a one year period, involving two groups of patients with severe BPD: (1) Community Treatment By Experts (CTBE) patients (n = 18) receiving the combined treatment model, and 2) TAU patients (n = 27). The patients' schemas were assessed using the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ‐L3a) before and after one year of treatment. The results reveal that CTBE patients who attended the combined treatment model showed a statistically significant reduction in eight out of 18 early maladaptive schemas, while patients receiving treatment as usual did not demonstrate any significant changes in schemas. The cognitive therapeutic treatment model can be applied for clinical use in public mental health settings using existing professionals, and appears to produce positive changes in patients with BPD. |
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| Keywords: | Early maladaptive schema borderline personality disorder cognitive therapy public mental health services |
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