Treatment impressions and termination experiences with borderline patients

This study investigates the treatment impressions and termination experiences of faculty clinicians treating individuals with borderline personality disorder. Thirty-nine clinicians (28 psychiatrists and 11 psychologists) completed the Treatment of Borderlines Survey. Results indicated that individual psychotherapy was perceived to be the most valuable treatment modality, that the majority of respondents work towards character change but do not expect "normal," the most common reported reasons for patient termination were "patient does not see the purpose of treatment" and "patient terminates through acting-out behaviors," and a slight majority reported that they had "cured" at least some of their borderline patients. The most common concerns experienced during the termination process included regression, acting-out, and self-destructive behavior. There were very few differences in the perceptions and treatment experiences between psychiatrists and psychologists. These results provide empirical support for claims made in the clinical literature on treating borderline patients.