Which Factors Are Relevant for Treatment Outcome in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder?

NCT ID: NCT06106555

Last Updated: 2025-06-25

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-09-01

Study Completion Date

2027-08-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The objective of this project is to investigate factors that contribute to the success and lack of success in DBT among individuals with BPD and a history of self-harm in a clinical psychiatric setting.

1. Do certain personality factors and identity disturbance predict the treatment outcome of DBT in individuals with BPD?
2. Do changes in identity disturbance, self-hate, or emotion regulation mediate the treatment outcome of DBT in individuals with BPD?
3. Do specific personality profiles moderate the treatment outcomes of DBT for individuals with BPD?
4. When does the primary treatment effect occur, and does this effect persist after a 12-month follow-up period?

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex and enduring mental health condition characterized by a range of symptoms. The consequences of BPD are severe, causing individual suffering, impairments in daily functioning, and increased mortality rates. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is one of the most widely used treatment models for BPD and self-harm. DBT has demonstrated positive outcomes but not all individuals benefit equally from this therapy, highlighting the need for further exploration. Specifically, there is a knowledge gap regarding what predicts positive treatment response. Research exploring this topic, has highlighted the potential significance of emotion regulation, personality profiles, self-concept, and identity disturbance in understanding the outcomes of individuals with BPD.

The primary objective of this research project is to investigate the factors that contribute to the success and lack of success in DBT.

All individuals referred to DBT-treatment in the Adult psychiatric clinic in Lund will be offered participation in the study. All study participants receive the same treatment as those who chose not to participate. Measures will commence after treatment contracts have been negotiated and the treatment will continue up to a maximum treatment length of one year.

Data will be retrieved from databases, medical records as well as collected as self-report forms. Self-report measures will be conducted every three months, at end of treatment and at follow up 12 months after end of treatment. Data from registries and charts will be collected at time of consent and at follow up 12 months after treatment.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Borderline Personality Disorder Non-suicidal Self-injury Deliberate Self Harm

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

CASE_ONLY

Study Time Perspective

OTHER

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Individuals with BPD

Individuals with BPD, as defined by the DSM-V, and a recent history (past 12 months) of self-harming behaviour.

Dialectibal Behaviour Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Standard Dialectical Behaviour Therapy of up to 12 months as described Professor Linehan

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Dialectibal Behaviour Therapy

Standard Dialectical Behaviour Therapy of up to 12 months as described Professor Linehan

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Borderline personality disorder as defined by the DSM-V (assessed with SCID or uquivalent).
* Self-harm over the past 12 months
* Offered DBT at the Lund adult psychiatric clinic

Exclusion Criteria

* Unable to read or communicate in Swedish
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Department of Psychology. Lund University.

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Lund University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Region Skane

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Lund adult psychiatric hospital

Lund, Skåne County, Sweden

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Sweden

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Magnus Nilsson, PhD

Role: CONTACT

046174925

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Magnus Nilsson, PhD

Role: primary

046174925

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Alvarez-Tomas I, Ruiz J, Guilera G, Bados A. Long-term clinical and functional course of borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. Eur Psychiatry. 2019 Feb;56:75-83. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.10.010. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30599336 (View on PubMed)

van Asselt AD, Dirksen CD, Arntz A, Severens JL. The cost of borderline personality disorder: societal cost of illness in BPD-patients. Eur Psychiatry. 2007 Sep;22(6):354-61. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2007.04.001. Epub 2007 Jun 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17544636 (View on PubMed)

Chen SY, Cheng Y, Zhao WW, Zhang YH. Effects of dialectical behaviour therapy on reducing self-harming behaviours and negative emotions in patients with borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2021 Dec;28(6):1128-1139. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12797. Epub 2021 Sep 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34519138 (View on PubMed)

Cipriano A, Cella S, Cotrufo P. Nonsuicidal Self-injury: A Systematic Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Nov 8;8:1946. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01946. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29167651 (View on PubMed)

Ellison WD, Rosenstein LK, Morgan TA, Zimmerman M. Community and Clinical Epidemiology of Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2018 Dec;41(4):561-573. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2018.07.008. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30447724 (View on PubMed)

Gad MA, Pucker HE, Hein KE, Temes CM, Frankenburg FR, Fitzmaurice GM, Zanarini MC. Facets of identity disturbance reported by patients with borderline personality disorder and personality-disordered comparison subjects over 20 years of prospective follow-up. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Jan;271:76-82. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.11.020. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30469092 (View on PubMed)

Gratz KL, Bardeen JR, Levy R, Dixon-Gordon KL, Tull MT. Mechanisms of change in an emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2015 Feb;65:29-35. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2014.12.005. Epub 2014 Dec 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25557395 (View on PubMed)

Weekers LC, Hutsebaut J, Kamphuis JH. The Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Brief Form 2.0: Update of a brief instrument for assessing level of personality functioning. Personal Ment Health. 2019 Feb;13(1):3-14. doi: 10.1002/pmh.1434. Epub 2018 Sep 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30230242 (View on PubMed)

Kaufman EA, Meddaoui B. Identity pathology and borderline personality disorder: an empirical overview. Curr Opin Psychol. 2021 Feb;37:82-88. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.015. Epub 2020 Aug 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32932110 (View on PubMed)

Krueger RF, Derringer J, Markon KE, Watson D, Skodol AE. Initial construction of a maladaptive personality trait model and inventory for DSM-5. Psychol Med. 2012 Sep;42(9):1879-90. doi: 10.1017/S0033291711002674. Epub 2011 Dec 8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22153017 (View on PubMed)

Kroger C, Harbeck S, Armbrust M, Kliem S. Effectiveness, response, and dropout of dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder in an inpatient setting. Behav Res Ther. 2013 Aug;51(8):411-6. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2013.04.008. Epub 2013 May 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23727659 (View on PubMed)

Mehlum L. Mechanisms of change in dialectical behaviour therapy for people with borderline personality disorder. Curr Opin Psychol. 2021 Feb;37:89-93. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.08.017. Epub 2020 Aug 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32979766 (View on PubMed)

McMain SF, Fitzpatrick S, Boritz T, Barnhart R, Links P, Streiner DL. Outcome Trajectories and Prognostic Factors for Suicide and Self-Harm Behaviors in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder Following One Year of Outpatient Psychotherapy. J Pers Disord. 2018 Aug;32(4):497-512. doi: 10.1521/pedi_2017_31_309. Epub 2017 Sep 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28910214 (View on PubMed)

Meuldijk D, McCarthy A, Bourke ME, Grenyer BF. The value of psychological treatment for borderline personality disorder: Systematic review and cost offset analysis of economic evaluations. PLoS One. 2017 Mar 1;12(3):e0171592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171592. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28249032 (View on PubMed)

Schmitgen MM, Niedtfeld I, Schmitt R, Mancke F, Winter D, Schmahl C, Herpertz SC. Individualized treatment response prediction of dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging. Brain Behav. 2019 Sep;9(9):e01384. doi: 10.1002/brb3.1384. Epub 2019 Aug 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31414575 (View on PubMed)

Levi FA, Hrushesky WJ, Blomquist CH, Lakatua DJ, Haus E, Halberg F, Kennedy BJ. Reduction of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum nephrotoxicity in rats by optimal circadian drug timing. Cancer Res. 1982 Mar;42(3):950-5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7199382 (View on PubMed)

Woodbridge J, Reis S, Townsend ML, Hobby L, Grenyer BFS. Searching in the dark: Shining a light on some predictors of non-response to psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 27;16(7):e0255055. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255055. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34314461 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

Dnr 2023-03990-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

The Short-Term MBT Project
NCT03677037 COMPLETED PHASE3