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Mindfulness DBT For Borderline
Mindfulness DBT For Borderline
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Abstract
Objective. One of the components of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is the use of mindfulness skills as a core component
of treatment for subjects with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In this study, we investigated changes in and correlates
of mindfulness skills over a 1-year follow-up including a 4-week session of intensive DBT followed by 10 months of stand-
ard DBT. Methods. Fifty-two BPD subjects were assessed several times using the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills
(KIMS) which describes mindfulness in four discrete dimensions: observing (Obs), describing (Des), acting with awareness
(AwA) and accepting without judgment (AwJ). Results. AwJ was the only dimension that increased significantly over time
after adjustment for potential confounding factors (β ⫽ 0.24; P ⫽ 0.0002). Increases in AwJ correlated with improvement
in BPD symptoms. Conclusions. This study highlights the usefulness of investigating changes in mindfulness dimensions
during DBT. AwJ is a possible mechanism for positive change. Encouraging this skill should lead to a more adaptive
response to problematic situations and counteract impulsive and problematic behaviors. The lack of specific control groups
means that these findings are preliminary and replication is required.
Objective
from BPD have poor mindfulness skills [6]. These
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is charac- deficits may be linked to the emotional dysregula-
terized by marked instability in affects, disturbed tion, difficulties in interpersonal relationships and
interpersonal relationships and unstable self-identity. harmful behaviors which are the main characteristics
It includes lack of emotional control and harmful of BPD [4,7–9].
impulsivity such as suicide attempts and/or self- Mindfulness meditation, as used in dialectical
destructive behaviors. It is often comorbid with behavior therapy (DBT) [3], is a concept derived
other psychiatric disorders and is associated with from Eastern meditation practice. Mindfulness train-
severe functional impairment and high utilization of ing is a central component of DBT. One of the char-
healthcare [1–3]. acteristics of DBT is the teaching of mindfulness as
Among the theoretical frameworks proposed for a skill in its own right supporting the other skills
BPD, poor mindfulness skills have been advanced as taught in group and individual sessions [3].
a potential core phenomenon underlying this com- In DBT, mindfulness is described as three differ-
plex disorder [4]. Mindfulness has been defined in ent but correlated skills (Observing, Describing and
many ways, but perhaps one of the most commonly Participating) which should be applied in three ways
used definitions comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn, who (non-judgmentally, one-mindfully and effectively). The
defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a par- first skill, Observing, is direct perception of experi-
ticular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and ences, without the addition of concepts or categories.
non-judgmentally” [5]. It has been shown that com- Describing involves adding a descriptive label to what
pared to the community sample, individuals suffering is observed. Participating refers to entering fully and
Correspondence: Nader Perroud, Department of Psychiatry, Division of General Psychiatry, University Hospital of Geneva and University of Geneva, Rue
du 31-Décembre 8, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland. Tel: ⫹41 22 305 4511. Fax: ⫹41 22 305 4599. E-mail: nader.perroud@hcuge.ch
(A) 45 (B) 45
40 40
Describing
Observing
35 35
30 30
25 25
20 20
(C) 45 (D) 45
Accepting without Judgment
40 40
Acting with Awareness
35 35
30 30
25 25
20 20
Figure 1. Changes in mindfulness dimensions (Obs (A), Des (B), AwA (C) and AwJ (D)) during the study. The bars represent standard
deviation. (I-S ⫽ I-DBT start; I-E ⫽ I-DBT end; S-S ⫽ standard-DBT start; M1 ⫽ end of module 1 (emotion regulation skills)∗; M2 ⫽ end
of module 2 (interpersonal effectiveness)∗; M3 ⫽ end of module 3 (distress tolerance)∗. The order of the modules could be changed
depending on the places available in a module and the needs of the participants.
192 N. Perroud et al.
observed in a nonjudgmental way rather than to between the two scales: 0.71, p ⬍ 0.0001). Most of
evaluate the experience as good or bad, right or the participants were female (n ⫽ 47; 90.4%), single
wrong. Items are rated on a five-point scale (n ⫽ 35; 67.3%), childless (n ⫽ 35; 67.3%), and were
ranging from 1 (never or very rarely true) to 5 not working (unemployed, on sick leave or in receipt
(always or almost always true). The psychometric of a disability pension) (n ⫽ 31; 59.6%). Mean age
properties of the French KIMS have been was 30.5 (SD ⫽ 7.7) and the depression score at
described previously [6]. baseline was 32.6 on the BDI (SD ⫽ 9.6).
Eleven of the 52 patients (21.1%) completed only
Finally, at the beginning and end of the study, each one or two of the standard DBT modules (this was
participant completed the International Personality agreed with the therapist before entering the study) or
Disorder Examination Screening Questionnaire stopped therapy temporarily with the therapist’s agree-
(IPDE-SQ) for Axis II pathology [15] and the ment. Six patients (11.5%) dropped out during the
Screening Interview for Axis II Disorder (SCID-II) study. None of the baseline mindfulness dimensions
BPD part [16]. and none of the other baseline characteristics was
Demographic and additional clinical data were associated with dropout and non-completion of the
obtained from a standard questionnaire given to all whole treatment. Available numbers at the start and
participants before entering the program. These data end of each assessment periods were as follows: start
were checked against notes from psychiatric, medical of I-DBT n ⫽ 52; end of I-DBT n ⫽ 52; start of stan-
and surgical units and by contacting the referrers. dard DBT n ⫽ 51; end of first module n ⫽ 40; end of
second module n ⫽ 38; end of third module n ⫽ 35.
Statistical analyses
Linear mixed models with maximum likelihood Changes in mindfulness during DBT
estimation where treatment time was a fixed effect Observing. There was a significant change in Obs
and the individual a random effect, as described during the entire therapy (I-DBT ⫹ standard DBT)
elsewhere [21,22], were used to analyze the effect (β ⫽ 0.13; P ⫽ 0.042; 95% CI from 0.01 to 0.24)
of I-DBT and standard DBT on the four dimen- (Table II). When standard DBT only is considered,
sions of mindfulness. Using this model, we analyzed there was also a significant increase in Obs over time
the effects of the four mindfulness dimensions (Obs, (β ⫽ 0.14; P ⫽ 0.001; 95% CI from 0.06 to 0.23)
Des, AwA and AwJ) on BPD symptoms during (Figure 1A). However, this was no longer significant
I-DBT and standard DBT. The results of regression after adjusting for changes in severity of depression
models are presented as standardized regression and hopelessness during the study, which suggests
coefficients (β) with 95% confidence intervals which that the observed effect was mainly accounted for by
can be interpreted as effect size. these two variables.
Predictors of dropout from the study were
assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression as
Describing. There was a slight significant increase in
previously described [13].
Des over time (β ⫽ 0.16; P ⫽ 0.022; 95% CI from 0.02
As we analysed the changes of four dimensions
to 0.31) which was mainly accounted for by the time
during two consecutive therapies (I-DBT and standard
spent in standard DBT (β ⫽ 0.18; P ⫽ 0.004; 95% CI
DBT) (two tests per dimension) as well as their impact
from 0.06 to 0.31) (Figure 1B). As for Obs, it was no
on BPD symptoms (one test per dimension) a cor-
longer significant after adjusting for changes in severity
rection for multiple testing was required. For a Bonfer-
of depression and hopelessness during the study.
roni correction on the P values, we used P ⫽ 0.05/
(8 ⫹ 4) ⫽ 0.0042 as a threshold for significance.
All analyses were performed using STATA Acting with awareness. Figure 1C clearly indicates
release 10. that there was no significant increase in AwA during
the entire therapy (I-DBT ⫹ standard DBT) or stan-
dard DBT alone (β ⫽ 0.11; P ⫽ 0.102; 95% CI from
Results –0.02 to 0.23 and β ⫽ 0.11; P ⫽ 0.065; 95% CI from
–0.02 to 0.22).
Baseline clinical/demographic characteristics
and patient flow
Accepting without judgment. There was a significant
Tables I and II show the baseline clinical and demo- increase in AwJ over time (from 19.8 (SD ⫽ 6.8) to
graphic characteristics of the 52 subjects. All par- 27.2 (SD ⫽ 8.1); β ⫽ 0.39; P ⬍ 0.0001; 95% CI from
ticipants had a score of 5 at least on the SCIDII and/ 0.24 to 0.54) (Figure 1D).This was mainly accounted
or IPDE-SQ BPD dimension (Pearson’s correlation for by the time spent in standard DBT (β ⫽ 0.41;
Mindfulness in DBT 193
Table I. Clinical and demographic characteristics at baseline.
Mean SD
P ⬍ 0.0001; 95% CI from 0.28 to 0.54) and was not Neither drop-outs nor the effective number of
significant for I-DBT (β ⫽ 0.32; P ⫽ 0.182; 95% CI weeks each subject attended DBT did correlate with
from –0.18 to 0.91). After adjustment for the sever- improvement in mindfulness skills.
ity of BDI and BHS scores throughout the study (as
time-dependent covariates), the results still showed
Effect of AwJ on BPD symptoms
a significant increase in AwJ over time (β ⫽ 0.24;
P ⫽ 0.0002; 95% CI from 0.11 to 0.36). The results There was a non-significant decrease in BPD symp-
remained significant after adjustment for baseline toms over time (6.9 (SD ⫽ 1.2) to 6.2 (SD ⫽ 1.9);
avoidance scores, number of hospitalizations and β ⫽ –0.12; P ⫽ 0.101; 95% CI from –0.26 to 0.02).
baseline pharmacological treatment. Interestingly, after adjustment for baseline borderline
Table II. Baseline and end–of–treatment scores for BDI, hopelessness, SCIDII, IPDE and KIMS (P ⫽ P values for the mixed linear
models).