Premium
Outpatient psychodynamic group psychotherapy – outcomes related to personality disorder, severity, age and gender
Author(s) -
Kvarstein Elfrida Hartveit,
Nordviste Ola,
Dragland Lone,
Wilberg Theresa
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
personality and mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.193
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1932-863X
pISSN - 1932-8621
DOI - 10.1002/pmh.1352
Subject(s) - borderline personality disorder , psychology , mental health , clinical psychology , psychodynamic psychotherapy , psychodynamics , distress , group psychotherapy , personality disorders , psychiatry , interpersonal communication , global assessment of functioning , personality , psychotherapist , cognition , social psychology
Objectives Outpatient group psychotherapy is frequent within specialist services, recruits a mixed population, but effects are poorly documented. This study investigates long‐term outcomes for patients with personality disorder (PD) treated in outpatient, psychodynamic groups within secondary mental health service. Methods A naturalistic study ( N = 103) with repeated assessments of process and clinical outcomes. Longitudinal statistics are linear mixed models. Results The main PDs were avoidant, borderline and NOS PD, mean number of PDs 1.4(SD0.7), 60% females and mean initial age 38(SD10) years. Mean treatment duration was 1.5(SD 0.9) years. Therapist alliance and experienced group climate was satisfactory and stable. Improvements were significant (symptom distress, interpersonal problems, occupational functioning and additional mental health services), irrespective of general PD‐severity, but not of PD‐type, age or gender. The study demonstrates PD NOS benefits across all outcomes, occupational improvements for avoidant PD, despite prevailing symptoms, but generally poorer outcomes for males and age >38 years. For borderline PD, experienced conflict was stronger, treatment duration shorter and outcomes poor for early drop‐outs (28%). Conclusion Psychodynamic group psychotherapy is a recommendable treatment for moderate PDs, which may address avoidant strategies, but may not meet clinical challenges of borderline PD. The outcome differences related to gender and age are noteworthy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.