title: Forgiveness in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study evaluated a manualized group forgiveness module within dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study utilized a quasi-experimental double pretest design with adults (N = 40; 88.1% female, 11.9% male) diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in outpatient DBT. Measures of forgiveness, attachment, and psychiatric symptoms were completed at 4 time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants showed increases in all measures of forgiveness and decreases in attachment insecurity and psychiatric symptoms during the forgiveness module and maintained to the 6-week follow-up. These effects were not observed during the prior distress tolerance module. Latent change score modeling showed reductions in anxious attachment mediated the effect of changes in benevolent motivations to forgive and trait forgiveness scores on reductions in psychiatric symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effect sizes were similar to meta-analytic findings on (a) forgiveness interventions and (b) reductions in psychiatric symptoms in DBT. Participant feedback suggested elements for further development. A randomized controlled trial is needed.
authors: Boston University.
authors: Steven J
authors: SJ
authors: Sandage
authors: University of Minnesota Medical School.
authors: Beverly
authors: B
authors: Long
authors: University of Minnesota Medical School.
authors: Richelle
authors: R
authors: Moen
authors: Bethel University.
authors: Peter J
authors: PJ
authors: Jankowski
authors: Virginia Commonwealth University.
authors: Everett L
authors: EL
authors: Worthington
authors: Iowa State University.
authors: Nathaniel G
authors: NG
authors: Wade
authors: Skidmore College.
authors: Mark S
authors: MS
authors: Rye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D061347:Forgiveness / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attachment; borderline personality disorder; dialectical behavior therapy; emotional dysregulation; forgiveness; justice