MANUALIZED TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE-ABUSERS WITH PERSONALITY-DISORDERS- DUAL FOCUS SCHEMA THERAPY

The presence of an untreated personality disorder may be associated wi th worse compliance and outcome in substance abuse treatment. Therapeu tic attention to the symptoms of personality disorder may reduce the s everity of substance abuse and other Axis I symptoms which potentially contribute to relapse. A 24-week manual-guided individual cognitive-b ehavioral therapy approach has been developed that integrates relapse prevention with targeted intervention for early maladaptive schemas (e nduring negative beliefs about oneself, others, and events) and coping styles. This Dual Focus Schema Therapy is being compared to 12-Step D rug Counseling for opioid-dependent individuals with personality disor ders in an ongoing study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abus e. This article reviews Young's (1994) schema-focused theory and appro ach and summarizes the treatment manual. which integrates relapse prev ention for substance abuse. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.