Conceptual Development and Case Data for a Modular, Personality-Based Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a heterogenous condition, and variations in its presentation may be accounted for by individual differences in personality dimensions. Extant treatments for BPD are long term and intensive; it is possible that prioritizing the personality-based difficulties that underlie an individual’s symptoms may improve the efficiency of care. This article describes the conceptual background for the development of a novel, personality-based intervention for BPD (BPD Compass), which was informed by recent research on personality mechanisms maintainin this condition, and was designed to address gaps left by existing treatments and to be maximally efficient and disseminable. BPD Compass is a comprehensive, short-term package with a fully modular design that allows for personalization (e.g., all skills can be presented in isolation or in any order based on pretreatment assessment). We discuss the theoretical background for its development, an overview of the skills included in the treatment, as well as preliminary efficacy data.