Change in Mindfulness in Borderline Personality Disorder

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The current study aims to investigate the effect of dialectical behavioral therapy on mindfulness in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder. A treatment group will be compared to a waitlist control group.

Detailed Description
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Participants will be recruited from the Dialectical-Behavioral-Therapy (DBT) unit. DBT is a treatment approach that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT integrates different psychotherapeutic interventions as well as Mindfulness Meditation exercises. Mindfulness is a meditation practice that can improve present moment awareness. When applied as therapeutic intervention mindfulness meditation can help patients to stay with their attention in the present moment, to be aware what is happening in the here and now, and to better identify and regulate upcoming emotions. The current observational study investigates changes in symptom severity and mindfulness skills during DBT treatment. A treatment group will be compared to a waitlist control group. The two groups are predefined by routine medical care. Symptom severity and mindfulness skills will be assessed at baseline (before treatment or when accepted for the waitlist) and after 12-weeks. A within and between group analyses will be performed.

Official Title
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Change in Mindfulness in Borderline Personality Disorder After Dialectic-behavioural Therapy (DBT): A Pre-post-comparison

Conditions
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Mindfulness, Borderline Personality Disorder

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder On the waitlist for DBT treatment or actually treated with DBT Not previously treated with DBT. Exclusion Criteria: Severe psychiatric comorbidity e.g. psychosis, severe depression, suicidality

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Treatment<br>Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder receiving DBT treatment. Measurement takes place at the beginning of the treatment and a second time after 12-weeks treatment. | Behavioral: Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)<br>* Inpatient Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) according to Linehan.<br>|
| Waitlist<br>Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder on the waitlist for inpatient DBT treatment. Measurement takes place twice at baseline and after 12-weeks waiting. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in mindfulness | Degree of mindfulness will be assessed by the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, German Version (KIMS-D). A within and between group comparison will be performed (treatment vs. waitlist). | Baseline and after 12-weeks | 
| Change in borderline symptom severity | Change in Borderline symptom severity is measured by the Borderline Symptom List (BSL 23). A within and between group comparison will be performed (treatment vs. waitlist). | Baseline and after 12-weeks | 
| Change in overall psychiatric symptom severity | Change in overall symptom severity is measured by the Change in symptomseverity is measured by the Symptom-Checklist-90®-Standard (SCL-90). A within and between group comparison will be performed (treatment vs. waitlist). | Baseline and after 12-weeks | 
| Change in severity in symptoms of depression | Change in overall symptom severity is measured by the Beck depression inventory (BDI). A within and between group comparison will be performed (treatment vs. waitlist). | Baseline and after 12-weeks |