title: Outpatient group psychotherapy following day treatment for patients with personality disorders.
abstract: This prospective, naturalistic study evaluated the practice and effectiveness of an outpatient group therapy program following day treatment for patients with personality disorders (PDs). One hundred and eighty-seven patients (86% patients with PDs and 14% with no PDs), were treated in outpatient psychodynamic group therapy. Outcome was assessed by Global Assessment of Functioning, Symptom Check List 90-R, and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex, short version, at admission and discharge from day treatment, and at the end of outpatient group therapy. Average length of outpatient therapy was 24 months. Forty-three percent terminated in an irregular manner. Outcome of the continuation therapy was satisfactory for patients without PDs. For PD patients, the improvement from the day treatment was maintained during outpatient therapy, but further improvements were modest for symptoms and interpersonal distress, somewhat better for global functioning. Implications for further treatment development are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department for Personality Disorders, Drug Addiction, and Liaison Psychiatry, Psychiatric Division, Ullevål University Hospital, 0407 Oslo, Norway. theresa.wilberg@psykiatri.uio.no
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilberg
authors.forename: Sigmund
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karterud
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Oyvind
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Urnes
authors.forename: Torill
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irion
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brabrand
authors.forename: Grete
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Haavaldsen
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leirvåg
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andreasen
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hedmark
authors.forename: Bjarte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stubbhaug
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome