Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 46, Issue 3 , Pages 186-191, May 2005

Therapists' handling of patients with cluster B personality disorders in individual psychotherapy

  • Kjersti Narud

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, Aker University Hospital, University of Oslo, 0320 Oslo, Norway
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +47 2292 3893; fax: +47 2292 3971.
    • ,
  • Arnstein Mykletun

      Affiliations

    • Research Centre for Health Promotion, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
    • ,
  • Alv A. Dahl

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, 0310 Oslo, Norway

Abstract 

Individual psychotherapy is a recommended treatment of patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, cluster B personality disorders. Due to their pathology, these patients represent a challenge in psychotherapy, and guidelines for practical handling exist. This study examined the attitudes of psychotherapists toward these challenges.

Three hundred twenty-four experienced Norwegian therapists filled in a questionnaire on issues relevant to individual psychotherapy of patients with personality disorders. The attitudes toward cluster B patients were examined and compared with those of clusters A and C patients on contract issues, acting out, use of drugs, information to relatives, and contraindications. A considerable gap was found between therapists' attitudes toward cluster B patients and published guidelines. The therapists mostly handled cluster B in the same way as clusters A and C.

Empirical investigations of therapists' handling provide an important feedback from everyday clinical practice on divergences in relation to guidelines derived from experts' consensus and research.

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PII: S0010-440X(04)00127-0

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2004.08.002

Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 46, Issue 3 , Pages 186-191, May 2005

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