Metacognitive interpersonal therapy in a case of obsessive-compulsive and avoidant personality disorders

Metacognitive interpersonal therapy (MIT) for personality disorders is aimed at both improving metacognition--the ability to understand mental statesand modulating problematic interpersonal representations while building new and adaptive ones. Attention to the therapeutic relationship is basic in MIT. Clinicians recognize any dysfunctional relationships with patients and work to achieve attunement to make the latter aware of their problematic interpersonal patterns. The authors illustrate here the case of a man suffering from obsessive-compulsive and avoidant personality disorders with dependent traits. He underwent combined individual and group therapies to (a) modulate his perfectionism, (b) prevent shifts towards avoiding responsibilities to protect himself from feared negative judgments, and (c) help him acknowledge suppressed desires. We show how treatment focused on the various dysfunctional personality aspects.