title: Using plan analysis in psychotherapeutic case formulation of borderline personality disorder.
abstract: A comprehensive understanding of the patient's problems is essential for a constructive therapeutic behaviour, especially in borderline personality disorder (BPD) where difficult interpersonal patterns are persistent. In these circumstances, the use of an integrative case formulation approach such as Plan Analysis, developed by K. Grawe and F. Caspar, can be of help for therapy planning. The focus here is on instrumental relations between behaviours and the hypothetical Plans and motives 'behind' those behaviours. The present qualitative study aimed at setting a prototypical Plan structure for n = 15 patients presenting a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, diagnosis of BPD using Plan Analysis. The first psychotherapeutic session of every outpatient was video-taped and evaluated according to the Plan Analysis procedure. Inter-rater reliability was established between two independent raters and was considered sufficient. The detailed prototypical Plan structure of BPD showed two main tendencies: first, the important presence of support-seeking among these patients and second, the will to be in control and to protect oneself. This study confirms the existence of several core similarities in the functioning of patients with BPD. These findings are in line with earlier studies and expand the latter with the aim of contributing to the understanding of BPD psychopathology. Clinical implications are discussed.
authors: University Institute of Psychotherapy, Department of Psychiatry, University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Laurent.Berthoud@chuv.ch
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Berthoud
authors: Ueli
authors: U
authors: Kramer
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: de Roten
authors: Jean-Nicolas
authors: JN
authors: Despland
authors: Franz
authors: F
authors: Caspar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015588:Observer Variation; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult