Integrating personality functioning in brief psychotherapy for substance use disorders: a case study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Substance use disorders (SUDs) in India have a significant treatment gap.
• Personality vulnerabilities are key factors in SUD initiation, maintenance, and poor outcomes.
• Current brief interventions and resource-intensive therapies inadequately address personality pathology in SUDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore integrating the DSM-5's Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) personality functioning model into brief psychotherapies for SUDs.
• To adapt treatment structure, assessment, formulation, and content for SUDs, focusing on personality functioning.
• To demonstrate the clinical utility of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) in SUD treatment.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual exploration of integrating the AMPD personality functioning model into brief SUD interventions.
• Proposed modifications to standard treatment protocols, assessment tools, and therapeutic content.
• Case illustration demonstrating the application of the LPFS.

Main Results:

• The personality functioning model offers a framework for addressing core pathology in SUDs within brief psychotherapies.
• Modifications focusing on personality functioning can enhance treatment relevance and applicability.
• The LPFS shows potential clinical utility for assessing and guiding treatment in SUD patients.

Conclusions:

• Integrating the AMPD personality functioning model into brief psychotherapies is a promising approach for SUDs in India.
• Further research is needed to establish the feasibility and effectiveness of this integrated model.
• This approach may help bridge the treatment gap by providing a more targeted intervention for personality-related SUDs.