Effectiveness of Mentalization-based Therapy (MBT)

NCT ID: NCT06659211

Last Updated: 2025-04-25

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

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

128 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-09-25

Study Completion Date

2026-06-30

Brief Summary

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The effects of psychological treatment, mentalization-based therapy, will be studied among persons with mental disorders seeking help from mental health care services.

Detailed Description

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Background: Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) has a growing evidence base as a group treatment, and research on MBT as an individual treatment is needed. This study will provide crucial new information on its effectiveness and usability in everyday patient care.

Methods: The study design will be an non-randomized clinical pilot study. We will study the effectiveness of MBT and analyze which factors are associated with better effectiveness. The length of intervention will be 12 months. The primary outcome measure is the change in psychological symptoms and well-being from the beginning to the end of MBT treatment, measured by CORE-OM. Secondary outcomes include several measures of symptoms, functioning, quality of life, and mentalization. Outcomes will be assessed at 6, 12 and 18 months. The study group will comprise of 64 patients receiving MBT. For comparison, patient group (n=64) with similar characteristics (age, gender, diagnosis) receiving treatment as usual (TAU) in psychiatric services will be ascertained from medical records, and their outcomes after 12 months of treatment will be compared to that of MBT -group.

Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Mentalization-based treatment/therapy

Participation criteria: Patients are not strictly limited to a specific disease/diagnostic group. This choice has been made because there is an increasing need in the mental health care for the treatment and therapy of this multi-symptom and severely symptomatic patient group, which also makes the results of the study more applicable to a real life. Patients will be selected for the MBT and TAU based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and patients preference. In addition, the selection to MBT will be made by a trained MBT therapist, who will assess the patient's suitability for MBT (e.g., patient willing to engage in active psychotherapeutic work, interested in the inner world of experience, willing to work interactively).

Conditions

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Severe Mental Illness

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Mentalisation-Based Therapy

MBT is conducted according to the treatment manual developed by Bateman \& Fonagy. Patients are offered weekly individual sessions with an MBT therapist for 12 months.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Mentalisation-Based Therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

MBT is conducted according to the treatment manual developed by Bateman \& Fonagy. Patients are offered weekly individual sessions with an MBT therapist for 12 months.

Treatment as usual

The TAU group will receive treatment as usual, which in mental health services might include medication, supportive counseling, short therapy, and other limited psychotherapeutic treatments such as DKT. There is no requirement for a frequency of visits for the usual psychiatric care of the TAU group, as this would not be realistic in the current service system.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

Intervention Type OTHER

The TAU group will receive treatment as usual, which in mental health services might include medication, supportive counseling, short therapy, and other limited psychotherapeutic treatments such as DKT. There is no requirement for a frequency of visits for the usual psychiatric care of the TAU group, as this would not be realistic in the current service system, and the usual treatment would not be the usual treatment currently provided.

Interventions

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Mentalisation-Based Therapy

MBT is conducted according to the treatment manual developed by Bateman \& Fonagy. Patients are offered weekly individual sessions with an MBT therapist for 12 months.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as Usual (TAU)

The TAU group will receive treatment as usual, which in mental health services might include medication, supportive counseling, short therapy, and other limited psychotherapeutic treatments such as DKT. There is no requirement for a frequency of visits for the usual psychiatric care of the TAU group, as this would not be realistic in the current service system, and the usual treatment would not be the usual treatment currently provided.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

MBT Group:

* Age 18-64 years.
* Severe psychological symptoms, decreased functioning ability for long-term
* Challenges with interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation
* Patients willing to receive MBT
* At least two of the following:

* Depression (diagnosis codes: F31.3-F31.5, F32.0-F32.9, F33.3-F33.9, F34.1) or anxiety disorder (diagnosis codes: F40-F48)
* Trauma background either as diagnosis or as need for treatment
* Signs of personality disorder (suspected or diagnosed)

TAU group:

* Age 18-64 years.
* Severe psychological symptoms, decreased functioning ability for long-term
* Challenges with interpersonal relationships and emotional regulation
* At least two of the following

* Depression (diagnosis codes: F31.3-F31.5, F32.0-F32.9, F33.3-F33.9, F34.1) or anxiety disorder (diagnosis codes: F40-F48)
* Trauma background either as diagnosis or as need for treatment
* Signs of personality disorder (suspected or diagnosed)

Exclusion Criteria

MBT Group:

* Active substance use disorder (i.e., intoxication F1x.0, active dependence F1x.24, Continuous use F1x.25), a physiological withdrawal state F1x.3 and F1x.4, or psychotic disorder F1x.5).
* Acute psychosis (defined as the recent onset of severe psychotic symptoms that interfere with functioning and are not yet in a therapeutic state. Non-acute psychotic symptoms are not exclusionary)
* Disorder requiring inpatient treatment
* Previously received MBT
* Currently receiving psychotherapeutic treatment (previous psychotherapeutic treatment is not an exclusion)


TAU group:

* Active substance use disorder (i.e., intoxication F1x.0, active dependence F1x.24, Continuous use F1x.25), a physiological withdrawal state F1x.3 and F1x.4, or psychotic disorder F1x.5).
* Acute psychosis (defined as the recent onset of severe psychotic symptoms that interfere with functioning and are not yet in a therapeutic state. Non-acute psychotic symptoms are not exclusionary)
* Disorder requiring inpatient treatment
* Previously received MBT
* Intensive psychotherapy (e.g. rehabilitative psychotherapy or similar weekly long-term psychotherapy)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

64 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Oulu

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Oulu University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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University Hospital of Oulu

Oulu, , Finland

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Finland

Central Contacts

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Jenni Vähä, MSc

Role: CONTACT

800-555-5555

Facility Contacts

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Jenni Vähä, MSc

Role: primary

+358 50 479 2161

Erika Jääskeläinen, MD, PhD

Role: backup

+358407191146

Other Identifiers

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240/2024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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