Psychodynamic Therapy For Co-occurring Borderline Personality Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol Use Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title:

Psychodynamic Therapy for Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder and Alcohol Abuse

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00145678
• Other study ID #: SUNY UMU IRB 4968
• Secondary ID: 130230-44
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• First received: September 1, 2005
• Last updated: January 5, 2015
• Start date: June 2004
• Est. completion date: May 2010

Study information

• Verified date: January 2015
• Source: State University of New York - Upstate Medical University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a modified form of psychodynamic psychotherapy for persons suffering from co-occurring borderline personality disorder and an alcohol use disorder.

Description:

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a condition that can cause significant distress and increased risk of death. Many persons with BPD also have an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and there is evidence that this can worsen the outcome and course of both disorders.

A manual-based form of psychodynamic therapy (PT), labeled dynamic deconstructive psychotherapy, has been developed for particularly challenging patients with BPD, especially those with co-occurring substance use disorders. It aims to remediate specific neurocognitive capacities that are responsible for processing of emotional experiences, and so diminishes symptoms of BPD and promotes the development of a coherent and differentiated self-structure. PT has been shown to be helpful for BPD, but has not been tested for people who have BPD with co-occurring substance use disorders.

The proposed study is a randomized controlled trial of PT for persons with BPD and co-occurring AUD that will generate some initial data that can be used to determine the need and feasibility for further outcome studies. Participants are randomized to either a study group receiving weekly PT or to a control group receiving usual care. Enrollment is 15 participants in each group. The study group will receive 12-18 months of PT, with naturalistic follow-up. Outcome measures are administered by a research assistant at enrollment, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 30 months.

The investigators anticipate that the PT group will show trends towards better retention in treatment and greater reduction in parasuicides, alcohol misuse, and institutional care. If so, this would have important and positive implications for the large group of patients who suffer from BPD and co-occurring AUD.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 30
• Est. completion date: May 2010
• Est. primary completion date: May 2010
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 45 years

• Meets diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder and for active alcohol abuse or dependence

• At least average intelligence

Exclusion Criteria:

• Meets diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alcohol Drinking
• Alcohol Use Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Disease
• Personality Disorders

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Psychodynamic Therapy
Dynamic deconstructive psychotherapy is a time-limited (12-18 month) manual-based form of psychodynamic therapy that aims to remediate specific neurocognitive capacities responsible for processing of emotional experiences.
• Optimized Community Care
individual and group psychotherapy in a private practice, clinic, and/or rehab setting, with an eclectic orientation

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	SUNY Upstate Medical University, University Hospital	Syracuse	New York

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
State University of New York - Upstate Medical University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (3)

Gregory RJ. Borderline attributions. Am J Psychother. 2007;61(2):131-47. — View Citation

Gregory RJ. The deconstructive experience. Am J Psychother. 2005;59(4):295-305. — View Citation

Gregory RJ. Thematic stages of recovery in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Am J Psychother. 2004;58(3):335-48. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	episodes of parasuicide, alcohol intoxication, institutional care		12 months	Yes
Secondary	depression, dissociation, core symptoms of borderline pd, perceived social support		12 months	No