Editorial: Therapeutic Factors in Treatment of Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

In this issue of Psychodynamic Psychiatry, Michael Stone discusses therapeutic factors in the treatment of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). He emphasizes the great diversity of borderline patients and points out that a number of manual-based therapies, each described by an acronym, generally achieve positive therapeutic results in the short term. Many borderline patients require years of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and additional treatments, however. Stone observes that patients with this disorder invariably have other personality characteristics and disorders. Suicidality is common among borderline patients, particularly those who also suffer from major depressive episodes. Stone emphasizes the usefulness of a contextual therapeutic model and a flexible clinical stance.