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. 2013 Aug;22(3):230-4.

Treatment of borderline personality disorder in youth

Robert S Biskin  1
Affiliations

Treatment of borderline personality disorder in youth

Robert S Biskin. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Aug.

Abstract
in English, French

Objectives: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is frequently encountered in both adult and youth populations. There is a robust literature supporting psychotherapy for adults with BPD, but the literature supporting its use for BPD in youth is more limited.

Methods: A literature review was conducted using the keywords "borderline personality disorders" and "adolescence." Relevant articles were reviewed for inclusion.

Results: Several specialized treatments have been studied with mixed results. Dialectical behaviour therapy has no randomized controlled trials in adolescents, emotion regulation training has not demonstrated superiority of treatment as usual, and cognitive analytic therapy has demonstrated more rapid recovery but little difference at follow-up. Mentalization-based treatment has one study supporting its use in self-harming adolescents. Pharmacotherapy has no evidence supporting its use in this population.

Conclusions: Structured therapy may be the most important therapeutic component in this population.

Objectifs: Le trouble de la personnalité limite (TPL) est fréquent dans les populations tant des adultes que des adolescents. Il y a une abondante littérature qui soutient la psychothérapie pour les adultes souffrant du TPL, mais la littérature soutenant un traitement du TPL chez les adolescents est plus limitée.

Méthodes: Une revue de la littérature a été menée à l’aide des mots clés « troubles de la personnalité limite » et « adolescence ». Les articles pertinents ont été examinés aux fins d’inclusion.

Résultats: Plusieurs traitements spécialisés ont été étudiés avec des résultats partagés. La thérapie comportementale dialectique n’a pas d’essais randomisés contrôlés chez les adolescents, la formation en régulation émotionnelle n’a pas démontré sa supériorité comme traitement habituel, et la thérapie cognitive analytique a donné lieu à un rétablissement plus rapide mais à peu de différence au suivi. La thérapie basée sur la mentalisation a une seule étude qui en soutient l’utilisation chez les adolescents qui s’automutilent. Aucunes données probantes ne soutiennent l’utilisation de la pharmacothérapie dans cette population.

Conclusions: La thérapie structurée peut être la composante thérapeutique la plus importante pour cette population.

Keywords: Borderline personality disorder; adolescence; psychotherapy; therapy.

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