Group Therapy Improves BPD Symptom Reduction

A group therapy program called "Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving," or STEPPS, has been shown to significantly improve treatment outcome for individuals with BPD when added to the traditional treatment regimen (e.g., medications and individual psychotherapy).

STEPPS is a 20-session group therapy based on cognitive behavioral approaches to treatment. In a recent randomized controlled trial, individuals with BPD who received STEPPS in addition to their usual treatment had significantly fewer symptoms of BPD and fewer emergency room visits than individuals with BPD who received only their usual treatment. This study suggests that a relatively brief course of STEPPS can have a very meaningful impact on BPD symptoms.

_Source:

Blum N, St. John D, Pfohl B, Stuart S, McCormick B, Allen J, et al. "Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) for Outpatients With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial and 1-Year Follow-Up." American Journal of Psychiatry, 165:468-478, 2008.