Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of ISTDP for Personality Disorders in a Specialized Psychiatric Clinic

NCT ID: NCT06591754

Last Updated: 2024-09-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 34 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-09
• Study Completion Date: 2027-12-31

Brief Summary

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a 25-week combined group and individual therapy program using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) for patients diagnosed with personality disorders. The secondary objective is to investigate preliminary effects of the treatment in terms of reducing symtoms of depression, anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties.

Detailed Description

The investigators vill investigate a 25-week treatment with ISTDP that consists of both weekly group- and individual therapy for patients diagnosed with personality disorder in a psychiatric clinic specialized on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The feasibility and acceptability and preliminary effects will be evaluated using a within-group design with repeated measures and qualitative interviews. Patients will be recruited from the clinic and the main inclusion criteria is that the patient have a personality disorder diagnosis.

Conditions

Personality Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

ISTDP

ISTDP combined group- and individual therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

ISTDP

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Both the individual therapy and the group therapy is based on ISTDP (Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy), an affect-focused psychodynamic therapy method. The therapy focus on the relationship between feelings, anxiety and dysfunctional emotion regulation (i.e. defenses). The purpose is to increase the capacity of anxiety regulation in the patient and to help the patient identify the dysfunctional patterns developed to avoid internal stress and then gradually approach previously warded of feelings. The individual therapy consists of 25 weekly sessions. The group treatment consists of 18 weekly sessions and is structured in three phases. Phase one: Psychoeducation about anxiety and exercises in anxiety regulation. Phase two: patients takes turn to observe their own anxiety and defenses together with a therapist. Phase three: Every session two patients will work with a chosen problem and identify defenses, anxiety and feelings together with a therapist in front of the group.

Interventions

ISTDP

Both the individual therapy and the group therapy is based on ISTDP (Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy), an affect-focused psychodynamic therapy method. The therapy focus on the relationship between feelings, anxiety and dysfunctional emotion regulation (i.e. defenses). The purpose is to increase the capacity of anxiety regulation in the patient and to help the patient identify the dysfunctional patterns developed to avoid internal stress and then gradually approach previously warded of feelings. The individual therapy consists of 25 weekly sessions. The group treatment consists of 18 weekly sessions and is structured in three phases. Phase one: Psychoeducation about anxiety and exercises in anxiety regulation. Phase two: patients takes turn to observe their own anxiety and defenses together with a therapist. Phase three: Every session two patients will work with a chosen problem and identify defenses, anxiety and feelings together with a therapist in front of the group.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Personality disorder diagnosis (Clinical assessment using STIP-5) Speaks Swedish fluently

Exclusion Criteria

Autism or intellectual disability Borderline, antisocial or narcissistic personality disorder diagnosis Need for interpreter Urgent social misery Psychotic disorder High suicidality

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Region Stockholm

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Stockholm University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Maria Bragesjo

PhD and licensed psychologist

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Affektiva, ångest och traumaprogrammet, Psykiatri Sydväst

Stockholm, , Sweden

Countries

Sweden

Other Identifiers

2024-04361-01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id