Is There a Best Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder?

Specifically designed psychotherapies performed only somewhat better than nonspecific ones, perhaps because of improvements in treatment as usual.

To determine the effectiveness of the different psychotherapies developed purposely for borderline personality disorder (BPD), European investigators conducted a meta-analysis of 33 randomized trials (2256 adults) involving dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic psychotherapies (including mindfulness and transference-focused psychotherapy), or other specific therapies.

Psychotherapy in general, and psychodynamic therapy and DBT in particular, were significantly more effective than treatment as usual (TAU) for BPD-specific features (BPD symptoms, self-harm, suicide) and for general features (e.g., psychopathology and health service use). However, effect sizes were small to moderate, and heterog…

Reviewing Author

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Steven Dubovsky, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportTower Foundation; Patrick Lee Foundation; Boehringer Ingelheim; Intra-Cellular Therapies; Janssen; Biogen; Allergan

Editorial BoardsMind and Brain; Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic; Current Psychiatry; Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Is There a Best Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder?

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Reviewing Author