Bridging Affect Consciousness, Mentalization and Trauma- Exploring an Integrative Treatment Approach for Personality Disorder (PD).

Launched by HELSE STAVANGER HF · May 13, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is investigating a new approach to treating individuals with severe personality disorders, specifically Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The study aims to see whether adding a technique called Affect Consciousness (AC) to standard therapy, known as Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT), can improve emotional understanding and overall treatment outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: one receiving the standard MBT plus AC, another receiving MBT with a Body Awareness group, and the last receiving MBT with an Art psychotherapy group. The goal is to gather data over several years to better understand how these different treatments affect patients.

To be eligible for this trial, participants should be between the ages of 20 and 40 and proficient in Norwegian. They must also be enrolled in an MBT program for AvPD or BPD between 2025 and 2035. However, individuals with certain other mental health conditions, like antisocial personality disorder or untreated ADHD, cannot participate. If you join this study, you can expect to engage in group therapy sessions designed to help improve your emotional skills and self-awareness while being supported by mental health professionals in a carefully structured environment.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Inclusion Criteria: Participation in a MBT programme for severe AvPD and/or BPD 2025-2035. Half the participants join an AC group as add on to standard MBT based on randomisation on a cluster level, 25 % of the rest of the 50% representing the control group patientsample join an Body Awareness Group as add on to proper MBT and the last 25%, representering the control group participates in an Art psychotherapy group as add on to MBT, Norwegian language proficiency, age 20- 40 years.
• • Exclusion Criteria: Diagnosed with schizotypal or antisocial PD, psychotic- or bipolar I disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, ongoing drug/ alcohol dependence, organically contingent symptoms and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder if not effectively treated with medication.