Prediction of medium-term outcome in cluster B personality disorder following residential and outpatient psychosocial treatment.
BACKGROUND
There is a paucity of research concerning the identification of individual characteristics predictive of outcome in the treatment of personality disorders (PDs).


METHODS
In this study, we carried out a predictor analysis of a sample of 73 hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of cluster B PD admitted to two different psychosocial programs for PD: (a) long-term inpatient treatment, and (b) a step-down program.


RESULTS
Younger age, higher Global Assessment Scale intake scores, longer length of treatment, absence of self-mutilation and avoidant PDs were a significant predictor of outcome at 24-month follow-up. Self-harming patients allocated to the step-down program had higher rates of improvement compared with patients allocated to the long-term inpatient model.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings may carry potential clinical implications concerning patient selection and treatment delivery for inpatient and outpatient psychosocial programs for cluster B PD. Limitations include a relatively low sample size for a regression analysis, and a larger sample of cluster B patients may be needed to ensure greater reliability of results.
Chiesa
Marco
M
The Cassel Hospital, Richmond, UK. m.chiesa@ucl.ac.uk
Fonagy
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006677:Histrionic Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012960:Socioenvironmental Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome