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[Influence and Change of Self-Directedness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy]
Dorothee Bernheim1,2, Mathias Becker3, Manuela Gander4
1Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universität Greifswald.
Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) improved self-directedness (SD) in female borderline personality disorder (BPS) patients. Higher initial SD correlated with better outcomes, suggesting SD screening and support are beneficial for BPS treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Borderline personality disorder (BPS) is a complex mental health condition.
- Self-directedness (SD) is a crucial factor in therapeutic outcomes.
- Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a recognized treatment for BPS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence and change of self-directedness (SD) in female outpatients with BPS undergoing DBT.
- To examine the relationship between baseline SD levels and treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Quasi-experimental design with 26 female BPS outpatients.
- Subgroup analysis based on low vs. high self-directedness (SD).
- Psychometric assessments at three time points over one year using variance analyses.
Main Results:
- Lower baseline SD was associated with higher psychopathology and interpersonal problems.
- Patients with lower SD demonstrated less symptom reduction.
- Significant improvement in SD was observed across all patients during DBT intervention.
Conclusions:
- DBT effectively enhances self-directedness (SD) in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPS).
- Screening for SD prior to DBT intervention is recommended.
- Systematic support for SD development should be integrated into DBT programs for BPS.
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