Comparing the Effectiveness of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Neuroticism and Impulsivity in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder is one of the most common disorders of mental health conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transference-focused psychotherapy and acceptance and commitment treatment on neuroticism and impulsivity in individuals with borderline personality disorder.

In an applied quasi experimental study, we used single subject design involving ABA design in which a behavior is studied at baseline (A), during treatment (B), and after treatment (A). The statistical population included all patients with borderline personality disorder attending Sari Zare Psychiatric Hospital and Sari Mana Clinic in May to June 2020 (n=32). Eleven patients
were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly allocated to transference-focused psychoanalysis (n=4), acceptance and commitment-based therapy (n=4) or control group (n=3). Data were collected in five stages: baseline, mid-stage, progress stage, treatment termination stage, and follow-up for one year (100 sessions) using the NEO five-factor personality questionnaire and Barat impulsivity questionnaire. Data analysis was performed applying repeated measures and Kruskal-Wallis test.

In the repeated measurement test, a significant difference was seen in cognitive impulsivity between the two groups compared to the control group (P=0.025). According to Kruskal-Wallis test, transference-focused psychoanalysis was prioritized.

Considering that these two treatment methods do not aim to reduce symptoms, our final results showed that transference-focused psychoanalysis was more effective. But, further studies are need to generalize current findings.