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Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
Higher executive control and visual memory performance predict treatment completion in borderline personality
Eric A Fertuck1, John Keilp, Inkyung Song
1Subprogram in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, City University of New York, New York 10031, USA. efertuck@ccny.cuny.edu
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
|November 26, 2011
Summary
Better executive control and visual memory predict longer treatment duration for borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients. Addressing these neurocognitive factors may improve treatment completion rates.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- High rates of treatment non-completion (TNC) in borderline personality disorder (BPD), ranging from 20-60%.
- Previous research identified symptom severity, personality traits, and environment as predictors of TNC.
- No studies have investigated neuropsychological predictors of TNC in BPD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of neuropsychological functioning in predicting treatment non-completion (TNC) in borderline personality disorder (BPD) outpatients.
- To identify specific neurocognitive domains that predict treatment duration in this population.
Main Methods:
- A subsample of 31 unmedicated BPD outpatients with recent self-injurious behavior was assessed.
- Neuropsychological domains, general IQ, and clinical variables were evaluated at baseline.
- Patients were randomized into four treatment conditions for up to 1 year, with weeks in treatment (WIT) as the TNC index.
Main Results:
- 33% of the participants did not complete the full year of treatment.
- Higher baseline executive control (Trails B) and visual memory (Benton visual retention) significantly predicted more weeks in treatment (WIT).
- Other assessed neuropsychological domains did not predict WIT.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced executive control and visual memory performance are associated with longer treatment engagement in BPD outpatients.
- Assessing and targeting these neurocognitive functions in treatment may be crucial for reducing TNC.
- This research highlights the potential of neurocognitive interventions to improve treatment adherence in high-risk BPD individuals.
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