Evaluation of a Parenting Program for Mothers With a Borderline Personality Disorder: A Multiple Baseline Single-Case...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Therapy

Background:

• Mothers with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often face parenting challenges, impacting family well-being and child development.
• Parenting deficiencies in BPD can lead to increased family stress, burden, and adverse child outcomes.
• Existing parenting interventions may not adequately address the complexities of BPD in mothers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a Dutch Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) parenting training program for mothers with BPD.
• To assess improvements in parenting skills and reductions in parental stress.
• To explore the impact of training on specific parenting behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A multiple baseline single-case experimental design was employed.
• Participants included 10 mothers diagnosed with BPD and a child under 6 years old.
• Standardized and idiosyncratic assessments measured parenting behavior and stress before, during, and after the DBT training.

Main Results:

• Six out of ten mothers completed the training.
• Clinically significant improvements were observed in inconsistent discipline, involvement, positive parenting, and corporal punishment.
• Five mothers experienced large positive effects on parenting skills, while six showed some positive effect.
• Limited improvement was noted in parental stress levels.

Conclusions:

• DBT-based parenting training demonstrates clinical utility for mothers with BPD.
• The training shows particular promise in enhancing consistent discipline strategies.
• A patient-centered, individualized approach is crucial for addressing the heterogeneity within the BPD population.