OUTCOMES OF POORLY FUNCTIONING PATIENTS WITH PERSONALITY-DISORDERS INA DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM

Objective: Rates of completion, complications, and outcome were examin ed in a sample of poorly functioning patients who participated in a gr oup-oriented day treatment program for patients with personality disor ders. Methods: The study was a naturalistic prospective study of 183 p atients admitted to a day treatment program in Oslo, Norway. The progr am consists of a combination of group analytically oriented groups and cognitive-behavior al groups. The Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Symptom Check List, the circumplex version of the Inventory of Interpe rsonal Problems (IIP-C), and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF ) were administered at admission and discharge, Results: A total of 14 1 patients (77 percent) completed the day treatment program. Few patie nts experienced treatment complications. Effect sizes for GAF: GSI, an d IIP-C scores for treatment completers were in the medium-to-high ran ge, indicating a fair level of improvement, Patients' rating of benefi t nas positive. Conclusions: The results are promising as a first step toward development of a cost-efficient comprehensive long-term treatm ent program for patients with severe personality disorders.