Factors Related to Drop-outs by Borderline Patients : Treatment Contract and Therapeutic Alliance

High patient drop-out rates have traditionally interfered with both treatment and study of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The authors tested hypotheses that an adequate treatment contract, a positive therapeutic alliance, and the severity of illness would all correlate with continuation of treatment versus drop-out in a BPD cohort receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy. Therapists' contributions to the contract and to the alliance correlated with the length of treatment. Patients' impulsivity was negatively related to length of treatment. This study supports the view that the therapist's technique plays a role in engaging the borderline patient to remain in treatment.