Managing Emotional Intensity Difficulties in Older Adults With Personality Disorders: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Problematic emotion management is a key feature of personality disorders, often persisting into older age.
• The Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) program is effective for younger adults with borderline personality disorder.
• STEPPS was adapted for older adults (STEPPS-OA) based on pilot and Delphi studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the initial outcomes of the adapted STEPPS-OA program for older adults.
• To assess the effectiveness of STEPPS-OA in managing emotional intensity difficulties in this population.

Main Methods:

• A proof-of-concept study involving 52 patients (mean age 67 years) with personality disorders.
• Pre-, mid-, and post-treatment measurements were conducted.
• 38 patients completed the STEPPS-OA program.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in borderline personality disorder severity and symptomatic distress were observed post-treatment.
• Improvements in adaptive emotion regulation strategies and all personality functioning factors were noted.
• Significant decreases in maladaptive traits like Disinhibition and Negative Affectivity were reported.

Conclusions:

• STEPPS-OA is a promising treatment for emotional intensity difficulties in older adults with personality disorders.
• The program demonstrates positive effects on personality functioning and symptom reduction in this demographic.