The impact of border-line personality disorder on process group outcome among women with posttraumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse

The outcome of a 12-week interpersonal process group therapy for women with postraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to childhood sexual abuse with and without borderline personality disorder (BPD) was assessed by comparin g three naturally occurring treatment conditions: groups that did not have any members with borderline personality disorder (BPD-) (n = 18), groups in which at least one member carried the diagnosis (BPD+)(n = 16), and a 12-w eek waitlist (WL) (n = 15). PTSD, anger, depression, and other symptoms wer e significantly reduced in the BPD-groups. However, the BPD+ and WL conditi ons did not show any pre-to posttreatment improvements. Furthermore, the BP D+ condition showed a significant worsening on measures of anger. Analyses within the BPD+ condition indicated that women with and without the diagnos is experienced equal posttreatment increases in anger problems. These latte r results suggest the presence of an anger "contagion" effect. That is, wom en without BPD did well in the BPD-groups but showed increased anger simila r to the BPD+ women when treated in groups with them. Implications for clie nt-treatment matching considerations in PTSD group therapy are discussed.