Marital therapy with borderline patients: is it beneficial?

Marital therapy has developed techniques which do not, for the most part, rely on the individual psychiatric diagnosis of the 2 partners. When both spouses suffer from Borderline personality disorders, the standard techniques do not seem to apply, are difficult to put into effect and the results of therapy are poor. The authors illustrate their experience with the description of a 3 month trial of marital therapy involving a borderline couple. The outcome suggests the need for careful individual and interactional diagnosis prior to marital therapy. Specific psychotherapeutic techniques should be tested for use with Borderline marriage partners.