Effects of client-centered psychotherapy for personality disorders alone and in combination with psychopharmacological treatment - An empirical follow-up study

There is an increasing interest concerning the treatment of patients with p ersonality disorders (PD) in data on the efficacy of psychotherapeutic stra tegies especially when combined with medication. Methods: The efficacy of a n inpatient client-centered treatment program (CCT) was studied prospective ly in 142 patients with PD and additional depressive, anxiety or eating dis orders (ICD-10). Results: Significant improvements in depression, self-este em and social adjustment were achieved up to discharge, which remained stab le at the 1-year follow-up. The efficacy with regard to individual variable s or the total result could not be further enhanced by a combination with p sychopharmacological treatment (CCT + MED), consisting mainly of antidepres sants. Within the subgroups of patients with socially deviant (F60.0-2), em otionally unstable/borderline (F60.3) and histrionic/narcissistic PD (F60.4 , F60.8), CCT was significantly superior to CCT + MED in the reduction of d epression (Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale ratings), whereas the response was enhanced by medication in the subgroup of patients with socially depend ent 'cluster C' PD (F60.5-7). Conclusions: The results are discussed with r egard to client-centered therapeutic concepts and to the further developmen t of differential combination strategies. Copyright (C) 2001