Comparative Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder (Springer Series on Comparative Treatments for Psychological Disorders)

Within the field of clinical psychology, the term borderline personality disorder was developed to fulfill a diagnostic need and has come to possess specific stereotypes and negative meanings. Because the term borderline is an emotionally charged word, it can lead to a less-than-accurate view of the situation or patient being described, thus presenting a challenge to even the most experienced therapists and becoming one of the most complex disorders to treat. Through the use of one case study, however, experts in borderline personality disorders have put this difficulty at ease. Applying a variety of modalities to identify treatment goals, including: selecting assessment tools, conceptualizing progression, pinpointing pitfalls, and developing techniques, diagnosing and treating BPD has created a more successful therapeutic result.

Freeman (psychology, University of St. Francis) reviews the characteristics of the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), then presents a case history of a patient with BPD. Using this case study to demonstrate concepts, contributors apply a variety of modalities, such as self-psychological treatment and dialectical behavior therapy, to identify treatment goals, select assessment tools, conceptualize progress, and move toward a successful therapeutic outcome in the treatment of BPD. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health Services)
Description:The book compares nine treatment alternatives for borderline personality disorder using one specific case study. The reader is able to see how the authors would apply specific strategies to an actual case and what problems they would anticipate.
Purpose:According to the editors, Our contributors have carefully examined the case of Linda and applied their theoretical and therapeutic skills toward developing a conceptual framework, a treatment direction, and a set of interventions that are designed to help the patient better cope. The book definitely meets the editors' objectives.
Audience:The book vaguely describes the audience by saying: You, the reader, must be acknowledged for your interest and investment in treating this often maligned and underserved patient group. You are part of the front-line troops who will ultimately be in the consulting room with the patient. In my judgment, graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology and practitioners would be well served by this book. The authors and contributors are credible authorities.
Features:To demonstrate the nine different theoretical approaches to treating borderline personality disorder, each chapter is arranged in a similar manner in order to describe the clinical application of the specific paradigm including overview of the model, therapeutic goals, assessment, conceptualization, potential difficulties, prognosis, timeline, and specific techniques. This book is great because the reader can plainly see how the theories of personality are applied using the exact same case material. I particularly liked chapter 12, Similarities and Differences in Treatment Modalities for Linda, because the models are compared side-by-side by having the authors of each chapter answer specific treatment questions. This book will be especially helpful for students who have not fully embraced a theoretical orientation yet.
Assessment:I have nothing but good things to say about this book. It is well written, easy to read, and contains wonderful treatment information. Readers can see how a specific paradigm is applied and compare it to the eight other orientations, using the same case material. This is invaluable for graduate students and will keep clinicians on the cutting edge by showing how to treat a difficult patient population.

Words and phrases sometimes acquire an emotional charge or associated meaning and therefore come to represent something different than their original or intended meaning.