How Are Expert Therapists Similar, Different, and Integrative in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder?

This study examined the use of therapeutic skills by different, well-known experts in psychology who have published extensively on the treatment of borderline personality disorder to ascertain areas of technique similarity, difference, and integration. Initial videotaped sessions from these expert therapists working with the same patient were independently rated, using an established measure, on cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic-interpersonal techniques by 6 trained clinicians. These raters also independently identified what they believed were the most clinically significant segments of each session. The 6 raters demonstrated excellent levels of reliability. Results of this empirically based comparative process analysis suggest significant similarity, integration, and common focus across these 7 expert therapists in the specific techniques they used and in the themes and issues explored during the most clinically significant segments. All therapists took an active stance in exploring areas of clinical focus and initiating topics of discussion in this first meeting. Therapists tended to focus on the patient's pattern of romantic relationships ending abruptly and his lack of understanding why they ended, or his role in them ending. Almost all these segments included the therapist providing the patient with an alternative way to understand his experiences not previously recognized. Moreover, several of the therapists tended to both explore his irrational thoughts (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking, being incomplete without a partner) and relate perceptions of these relationships (e.g., being a victim, minimizing his anger/violence) to his interpersonal difficulties. Likewise, therapists often used the information gained from this process to provide psychoeducation regarding treatment approach and rationale. Finally, therapists would often return to key specific themes and issues that were clinically significant within the session in order to further explore and work through their meaning with the patient. Clinical Impact Statement Question: How do expert therapists from various theoretical orientations approach treatment of borderline personality disorder? What are the differences and commonalities, and are they integrative? Findings: Several techniques may be helpful in the treatment of borderline personality disorder, such as taking an active stance and initiating clinical focus as well as offering alternative perspectives to understand experiences not pre