Group schema therapy for borderline personality disorder

INTERVENTION: Consenting BPD patients were randomized in blocks of three by using the Research Randomizer® in ratio 2:1 to group schema therapy plus usual psychiatric treatment vs. usual psychiatric treatment alone. Because blinding of psychotherapy is impossible, patients are aware of their allocation. All the outcomes are self‐reported questionnaires (therefore, no blinding of assessment). The usual psychiatric outpatients treatment received by both groups generally involves 1‐2 appointments per month with a professional (commonly a psychiatric nurse or a psychologists), plus pharmacotherapy prescribed by a psychiatrist (antidepressants, low‐dose antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers). Group schema therapy involves 20 consecutive weekly two hour therapy sessions over a period of five months, with up to eight patients and two therapists per group. The therapists have been trained in the treatment format and will be regularly supervised. CONDITION: Borderline personality disorder ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Emotionally unstable personality disorder PRIMARY OUTCOME: Within‐individual change in borderline personality symptoms, measured using the BSL‐23 scale score before and after the intervention SECONDARY OUTCOME: Within‐individual change before vs after intervention in:; 1. Borderline personality criteria symptoms, measured using the MSI‐BPD score; 2. Depressive symptoms, measured using the PHQ‐9 score; 3. Anxiety symptoms, measured using the OASIS score; 4. Alcohol use, measured using the AUDIT score; 5. Disability, measured using the Sheehan Disability Score; 6. Schema modes, measured using the Schema Mode Inventory INCLUSION CRITERIA: Psychiatric outpatients receiving treatment within the facilities of Helsinki University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Mood Disorder Division, having a principal clinical diagnosis of borderline personality disorder