Study of the STEPPS Program for Borderline Personality Disorder Patients With or Without Family Connections Program for Their Families A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Combined Behavioral Treatments

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a common and challenging mental health condition within the National Health System. This study aims to evaluate whether combining treatments for patients and their families leads to greater improvements compared to treating patients alone. The research also focuses on assessing how well these intervention programs are accepted and their feasibility for patients, families, and clinical professionals. The trial compares two groups: one receiving the STEPPS program, a cognitive and behavioral treatment focusing on psychoeducation and emotional and behavioral regulation skills for patients; and another group receiving STEPPS for patients plus the Family Connections program for their relatives, which includes dialectical and behavioral treatment with psychoeducation, skills training, and peer support. Family members in the STEPPS-only group may receive Family Connections after the study ends for ethical reasons. Participants will be evaluated at the start, immediately after treatment, and at six months follow-up using various measures including depression, anxiety, emotion regulation, borderline symptoms, quality of life, and family interactions. Researchers will track critical family-patient incidents and analyze results separately for patients and caregivers. The total participation duration includes baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up assessments to understand changes and treatment effects.

Application and Effectiveness of the STEPPS in Patients with BPD, Extending to Their Families with the FC Program