Developing loneliness interventions for people with personality disorders: A call to action

Loneliness is common in personality disorders (PDs) and may contribute to their severity and persistence. Systematic research on loneliness interventions for PD is sparse but clearly needed. According to the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders, loneliness may be related to personality functioning and may link to domains of self (identity and self-direction) and interpersonal functioning (empathy and intimacy). A deeper understanding of the interaction between perceived loneliness and individual dysfunction across these domains is essential for establishing novel psychological interventions that effectively treat loneliness. As a first step in developing a valid therapy model, we suggest a modular framework that encompasses loneliness-associated perceptions, cognitions, feelings, and behaviors that can be targeted with specific strategies. To further develop this framework, additional empirical research, for example, clinical studies on loneliness-tailored interventions in PD, should be performed in parallel with more conceptual research that challenges and integrates current hypotheses and theories.