Borderline functioning, work, and outcome in intensive evening group treatment

Cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups of a sample of 40 patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The BPD patients were part of a larger sample that had participated in an intensive, group-oriented Evenin g Treatment Program. A set of pretherapy outcome measures was used to repre sent patient "attributes" for the cluster analysis. Eight clusters were ide ntified. Two, each defined by a single patient with pronounced pathology, w ere deleted from further analyses. In a discriminant-function analysis, fou r dimensions emerged that differentiated the six remaining clusters. Signif icant relationships among the four dimensions and measures of therapeutic w ork and treatment outcome were identified. The relationships reflected the impact of behavioral characteristics associated with BPD on participation i n and benefit from intensive group-oriented evening treatment. Implications of these exploratory findings for the understanding and treatment of BPD a re discussed.