How repeated 15-minute assertiveness training sessions reduce wrist cutting in patients with borderline personality disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to examine a possible treatment for patients with borderline personality disorder who have wrist-cutting syndrome, a condition characterized by repeated, superficial wrist cutting in a non-suicidal fashion. Within the current healthcare system in Japan, the average amount of time a doctor can spend with a psychiatric outpatient is about 8 to 15 minutes. We, therefore, examined whether repeated 15-minute psychotherapy sessions to improve patient assertiveness would be effective for reducing wrist cutting and possibly other forms of self-mutilation.


METHODS
We treated 13 patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and wrist-cutting syndrome with assertiveness training during 15-minute, biweekly therapy sessions over a course of one to four years.


CONCLUSIONS
At the conclusion of psychotherapeutic treatment, 69% of outpatients showed a statistically significant reduction in wrist-cutting behavior.
Hayakawa
Masaya
M
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. cxj13045@nifty.com
D000328:Adult; D001242:Assertiveness; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult