Citation

Doering S, Hörz S, Rentrop M, Fischer-Kern M, Schuster P, Benecke C, Buchheim A, Martius P, Buchheim P. Br. J. Psychiatry 2010; 196(5): 389-395.

Affiliation

Department of Prosthodontics and Material Sciences, University of Muenster, Waldeyerstrasse 30 48149 Muenster, Germany. Stephan.doering@ukmuenster.de

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.bp.109.070177

PMID

20435966

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Transference-focused psychotherapy is a manualised treatment for borderline personality disorder. AIMS: To compare transference-focused psychotherapy with treatment by experienced community psychotherapists. METHOD: In a randomised controlled trial (NCT00714311) 104 female out-patients were treated for 1 year with either transference-focused psychotherapy or by an experienced community psychotherapist. RESULTS: Significantly fewer participants dropped out of the transference-focused psychotherapy group (38.5% v. 67.3%) and also significantly fewer attempted suicide (d = 0.8, P = 0.009). Transference-focused psychotherapy was significantly superior in the domains of borderline symptomatology (d = 1.6, P = 0.001), psychosocial functioning (d = 1.0, P = 0.002), personality organisation (d = 1.0, P = 0.001) and psychiatric in-patient admissions (d = 0.5, P = 0.001). Both groups improved significantly in the domains of depression and anxiety and the transference-focused psychotherapy group in general psychopathology, all without significant group differences (d = 0.3-0.5). Self-harming behaviour did not change in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Transference-focused psychotherapy is more efficacious than treatment by experienced community psychotherapists in the domains of borderline symptomatology, psychosocial functioning, and personality organisation. Moreover, there is preliminary evidence for a superiority in the reduction of suicidality and need for psychiatric in-patient treatment.

Language: en