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Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy
Published in: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 1/2017

01-03-2017 | Original Paper

Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy for Personality Disorders: A Case Study Series

Authors: Giancarlo Dimaggio, Giampaolo Salvatore, Angus MacBeth, Paolo Ottavi, Luisa Buonocore, Raffaele Popolo

Published in: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of metacognitive interpersonal therapy (MIT) as a psychological treatment for presentations consistent with non-borderline personality disorders (PD). We conducted a single-case series of three patients with personality disorders meeting inclusion criteria. Clients received 2 years of weekly individual MIT. Outcomes were assessed every 3 months for the first year at the end of treatment and at 3-months follow-up. Co-primary outcomes were reduction in the number of SCID-II PD criteria met and reduction in self-reported global distress (SCL-90-R GSI). Secondary outcomes were reduction in self-reported interpersonal problems (IIP-32), anxiety (STAI-Y), depression (BDI-II) and emotional dysregulation (DERS). Reliable Change Indices were calculated for all outcomes. All three patients completed treatment, achieving reliable change at the end of treatment for reduction in total number of personality disorder criteria and in overall symptoms. For secondary outcomes, two patients improved in emotion regulation, one in depression. There was no evidence of reliable change on self-reported anxiety or interpersonal problems. At 3-months post treatment improvements in overall symptoms and emotional regulation were observed for all patients. Plot analyses of the results showed a trend towards reduction for all outcomes. MIT is a new manualized treatment for non-borderline PD’s. We demonstrate preliminary evidence of acceptability and effectiveness in this understudied population. Future studies are required to establish the effectiveness of MIT in larger PD samples, including patients with lower socio-economic status.
Footnotes
1
We included PD NOS as MIT was manualized for individuals presenting with a combination of maladaptive interpersonal schemas and reduced metacognition. These include individuals not meeting criteria for a specific PD but suffering from a combination of traits from different PD. For example, an individual with three criteria for Avoidant PD, two for Dependent PD, three for Obsessive–Compulsive PD and two for Paranoid PD is classified as having PD NOS and its dysfunctions are the ones targeted by MIT (Dimaggio et al. 2015). In this example the individual could be characterized by schemas of avoidance and overcontrol.
 
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Metadata
Title
Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy for Personality Disorders: A Case Study Series
Authors
Giancarlo Dimaggio
Giampaolo Salvatore
Angus MacBeth
Paolo Ottavi
Luisa Buonocore
Raffaele Popolo
Publication date
01-03-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 0022-0116
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-016-9342-7

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