Trial Information

Summary: Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is a chronic psychiatric disorder marked by uncontrolled anger, depression, impulsive behavior, and unstable moods and relationships. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a time-limited treatment that has been shown to help people with major depression and some other psychiatric diagnoses. Because IPT helps to build social skills and improve mood, we believe it may benefit patients with borderline personality disorder as well.

Eligible individuals are offered a course of IPT at no charge. The first phase includes 18 sessions in the course of 16 weeks. If things proceed in a satisfactory way, a second, continuation phase of 16 sessions in 16 weeks follows. Thus we can provide up to eight months of weekly IPT sessions at no charge.

Inclusion criteria:

• Diagnosis of (DSM-IV) borderline personality disorder.
• Presence of an interpersonal crisis.
• Ability to speak English.
• Age between 18 and 60
• Willingness to have sessions audiotaped (they will remain confidential) and to undergo regular progress evaluations with self-report forms and interviews.

Exclusion criteria:

• Lifetime history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or psychosis
• Schizotypal or schizoid personality disorder
• Current substance abuse/dependence
• Unwillingness to stop current psychotherapy. (Study patients may continue stable medications.)

If you would like to learn more about participating in this study, please send an e-mail message using the form below.