Narrative Identity within Mentalization-Based Group Therapy for Adolescents: A Feasibility Study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) presents significant challenges in self and interpersonal understanding during adolescence.
• Adolescent BPD is detectable and treatable, highlighting the need for effective therapeutic interventions.
• Narrative identity, the internalized and evolving story of the self, is crucial for psychological development and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in narrative identity, specifically themes of agency and communion, during group therapy for adolescents with BPD.
• To examine the relationship between narrative content and personality functioning throughout treatment.
• To assess the feasibility and impact of Mentalization-Based Treatment in Groups (MBT-G) on self-reported functioning.

Main Methods:

• A feasibility study involving six female adolescent patients diagnosed with BPD.
• Analysis of narrated events within group sessions, coded for agency and communion themes.
• Coding of narrated reactions for personality functioning and administration of self-report measures pre- and post-treatment.

Main Results:

• Initial narrative identity themes were characterized by diminished agency and a dominance of communion.
• Significant increases in agency themes and decreases in communion themes were observed from early to late treatment phases.
• Narrated reactions primarily reflected thwarted self-functioning and identity issues, with some mention of intimacy.
• Patients reported improvements in overall functioning, internalizing, and externalizing behaviors post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• Mentalization-Based Treatment in Groups (MBT-G) appears to facilitate positive shifts in narrative identity, particularly enhancing agency in adolescents with BPD.
• The findings underscore the therapeutic value of narrative exploration and reconstruction in group settings for this population.
• MBT-G shows promise as an intervention for improving self-perception and behavioral outcomes in adolescent BPD.