[Treatment of borderline personality disorder with the schema-focused approach]

The treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder has been a challenge for Cognitive Therapy (CT): some modifications to the CT basic model had to be implemented in order to intervene with BPD patients. Young's schema-focused approach offers an intervention model which relies on early maladaptive schemas and modes concepts. According to this model, the BDP presents four dysfunctional modes: the Abandoned Child mode, the Detached Protector mode, the Punitive Parent mode, the Angry Child mode. The therapist must identify the presence of these modes and implement therapeutic strategies specific to each of them. There are four different kinds of therapeutic strategies: interpersonal (therapy relationship), experiential, cognitive and behavioral.