A randomised controlled trial of a group intervention for family and friends of youth with borderline personality disorder.

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder that arises during adolescence and young adulthood. This study investigates the most effective form of psychoeducation for families and friends of young people (15-25 years old) presenting for treatment of BPD for the first time. It is a randomised controlled trial comparing two interventions: the MS-BPD group with online BPD program compared with the individual, self-directed online BPD program alone. The primary outcome is reduction in burden of care. It is expected that post-intervention, participants who receive the MS-BPD group in addition to the online BPD program will have better outcomes than those who receive the online BPD program without the MS-BPD group. The measures to be used assess level of coping, burden, and personality disorders knowledge of participants, along with mood and anxiety symptoms, expressed emotion, and quality of life.

Sue Cotton, Jennifer Betts, Dina Eleftheriadis, Kate Filia, Mirra Seigerman et al. (17 authors)

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry2021-10-119 citations

10.1177/00048674211050299

A study comparing the experiences of family and friends of young people with borderline personality disorder features with family and friends of young people with other serious illnesses and general population adults.

Seigerman MR, Betts JK, Hulbert C, McKechnie B, Rayner VK, Jovev M, Cotton SM, McCutcheon L, McNab C, Burke E, Chanen AM.

2020-07-2217 citations

10.1186/s40479-020-00128-4

A psychoeducational group intervention for family and friends of youth with borderline personality disorder features: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Betts J, Pearce J, McKechnie B, McCutcheon L, Cotton SM, Jovev M, Rayner V, Seigerman M, Hulbert C, McNab C, Chanen AM.

2018-07-256 citations

10.1186/s40479-018-0090-z

Interventions

The MS-BPD group is a manualised psychoeducation group program for family members or friends of young people (ages 15 to 25) with borderline personality disorder features. The group consists of three 2-hour sessions facilitated by two specialist youth mental health clinicians from Orygen Youth Health, and is run in the evening over three consecutive weeks (ie. a 15-day intervention). The family intervention aims to provide psychoeducation regarding the diagnosis of BPD within a youth development

The MS-BPD group is a manualised psychoeducation group program for family members or friends of young people (ages 15 to 25) with borderline personality disorder features. The group consists of three 2-hour sessions facilitated by two specialist youth mental health clinicians from Orygen Youth Health, and is run in the evening over three consecutive weeks (ie. a 15-day intervention). The family intervention aims to provide psychoeducation regarding the diagnosis of BPD within a youth developmental context, an explanatory model of the causes of BPD, rationale for and nature of the treatment of BPD, and information about the difficult relationship processes that often occur for youth with BPD. Information is delivered as a power point presentation and participants are afforded the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences, if they wish to. An attendance record will be kept by the group facilitators. Participants who are assigned to the MS-BPD group study arm will also have access to the online BPD psychoeducation program for the same 15-day period that they are participating in the MS-BPD group. This program comprises two modules: ‘Introduction to Early Intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder?’ and ‘Caring For A Young Person with Borderline Personality Disorder - Information for Families and Friends’. The modules take approximately 30 minutes and 20 minutes to complete respectively. The modules have been designed to be used by family and friends of youth (15-25 year olds) with borderline personality disorder features. The information is delivered via a combination of written material and through video interviews with experienced clinicians, patients and parents. It is a self-directed program that can be accessed 24 hours a day, at the convenience of the family member or friend, and as often as the family or friend would find useful. The program is designed to record the date, time and duration of each visit. Access to the online BPD psychoeducation program will be provided on the day of the first MS-BPD group session.

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

15 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

Client: * Client of the HYPE clinic, Orygen Youth Health; * Aged 15-25 years inclusive; * Able to give informed consent; * Able to comply with study procedures; and * Sufficient fluency in English to complete study procedures. Family/friends: * A family member, partner, or friend of a young person (aged 15-25 years inclusive) attending HYPE; * Able to give informed consent; * Able to comply with study procedures; and * Sufficient fluency in English to complete study procedures.

Exclusion criteria

Clients: * Currently or previously meeting the Orygen Youth Health’s Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Clinic (EPPIC) criteria for first episode psychosis. Family/friends/carers: * Family member, partner, or friend of a HYPE client that meets the Orygen Youth Health client exclusion criteria. * Previous participation in the MS-BPD group program or online BPD psychoeducation program.

Outcome results