Borderline Personality Disorder: Different treatments, same mechanisms of change? (EACLIPT)

The concept of borderline personality disorder (BPD) was defined nearly 100 years ago, and its diagnosis has been part of clinical practice for almost 50 years. What have we learnt about treating BPD? Initially, portrayed as one of the most difficult psychiatric disorders to treat, the past 30 years of innovations have led to substantial amelioration in psychotherapeutic interventions, yielding clear benefits in the lives of people with the diagnosis of BPD. Intense affect, accompanied by powerful fear of abandonment, self-harming behaviors, interpersonal turmoil and identity disturbances have been conceptualized by different and sometimes opposed psychotherapeutic approaches, yet many empirically-tested treatments seem to yield significant therapeutic change. What are the mechanisms employed by clinicians to tackle the clinical features of BPD? The keynote speakers and panelists of this webinar will address these questions, with respect to both adults and youths suffering from BPD, and shed light on some of the current clinical challenges and possible avenues of future development in psychotherapy for BPD.

Our May keynote lecture is shared by two prominent experts in the field of borderline personality disorder, Professor Svenja Taubner and Dr. Shelley McMain, Ph.D., C.Psych., who will focus on two different aspects of the disorder.

Keynote Lecture #1
Far from Causality – Understanding Mechanisms of Change in the Treatment of BPD in Young People. Speaker: Professor Svenja Taubner
Until recently, no common or specific change factors in psychotherapy have been empirically validated. The proposed change mechanisms within the evidence-based psychotherapies in the treatment of BPD vary considerably from changes in emotion regulation in the Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), changes in mentalizing and epistemic trust in the Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) or changes in identity in the Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP). However, change mechanisms seem to be all related to changes in personality functioning. In this talk, Professor Taubner will take a critical stance towards the empirical evidence of the proposed change mechanisms. She will draw recommendations for the future of research on change mechanism from a recent systematic review on change mechanisms in the psychotherapeutic treatment of adolescents.

Keynote Lecture #2
Advances in Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder. Speaker: Dr. Shelley McMain, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Borderline personality disorder is a severe mental health disorder associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Psychotherapy is recognized as a first-line treatment for BPD. The past few decades has witnessed promising advancements in the development of psychotherapy for BPD. This presentation summarizes some recent developments in the field of psychotherapy for BPD, highlights some of the current challenges, and points to directions for future treatment and psychotherapy research.

Panel Discussion:
Borderline Personality Disorder: Different treatments, same mechanisms of change?
Panelists will include Dr. Gitta Jacob, Professor Martin Debbané, and our Keynote Speakers: Professor Svenja Taubner and Dr. Shelley McMain
Panel Host: Professor Martin Debbané