A clinical trial of Mentalization Based Therapy treatment for Borderline Personality disorder

INTERVENTION: Mentalization Based Treatment psychotherapy. The intervention group receive a weekly 50 minute individual psychotherapy session with a therapist trained in Mentalization Based Treatment methods. They also attend a 90 minute group psychotherapy session weekly. This is facilitated by 2 MBT trained therapists. They retain a case manager to co‐ordinate care and have regular 6 monthly, or greater, reviews by a psychiatrist for medical care. The intervention is applied for a duration of 18 months. CONDITION: Borderline personality disorder PRIMARY OUTCOME: Incident rate of self harm. Self harm is defined as those events which are serious in nature and requiring medical intervention. Case notes will be tracked to recover details of presentations, nature of harm, interventions required and outcome of event. Incident rate of suicide attempts. Suicide events are defined as those events which are serious in nature requiring medical intervention. Case notes will be tracked to recover details of presentations, nature of suicide event, interventions required and outcome of event. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Anxiety. Anxiety will be assessed using the Speilberger State & Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults, a patient self report questionnnaire. Borderline personality disorder symptoms. Symptom severity wil be measured using the Borderline Symptom Checklist (Severity Scale), a patient self report questionnnaire. Depression. Depression will be assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, a patient self report questionnnaire. Function of self injury. This will be measured using the Modified Ottawa Self‐Injury Functions scale, a patient self report questionnnaire. Perception of quality of life. this will be measured using the Quality of Life Index, a patient self report questionnnaire will be used. Severity of other personality problems. This will be measured using the Severity Indices of Personality Problems scale, a patient self report questionnnaire. Severity of self destructive thinking. This will be measured using the Firestone Assessment of Self‐Destructive Thoughts, a patient self report questionnnaire. Social adjustment. Social adjustment will be measured using the Social Adjustment Scale, a patient self report questionnnaire. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder