The Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: Implications of Research on Diagnosis, Etiology, and Outcome

Abstract

The treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is challenging. Making a diagnosis is necessary to plan therapy. But since we do not know the etiology of BPD, treatment cannot be based on a well-established theory. Outcome research shows that most patients recover with time. A series of clinical trials show that a variety of psychotherapies are effective in BPD and that the effects of medication are unimpressive.