Is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy an effective therapy in improving the lives of individuals with borderline personality disorder?

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PART ONE1

Background of the Research1

Research Question2

Inclusion Criteria3

Systematic Review of the Studies4

Discussion and Analysis7

PART- TWO14

Scope and Limitation of Evidence-Based Practices in Social Work14

Link of EBP with Research Questions15

Role of EBP in Social Work16

REFERENCES17

PART ONE

Background of the Research

Personality disorders are associated with ancient patterns of injuries that occur in multiple domains with respect to their functioning, which includes emotional disturbance (such as increased intensity or excessive reactivity), cognitive disturbance (such as disruptions in self-experiences, perceptual abnormalities), difficulties with impulse control (such as excessive engagement in criminal activities or high risk), and interpersonal behaviour (such as high-conflicting relationships, social isolation). Personality disorders are defined by DSM as long-lasting patterns of internal behaviour and experiences that remarkably deviate from the individual culture's expectations. These personality disorders are categorized by DSM into clusters: A, B, and C. The category cluster B involves Histrionic, Narcissistic, Antisocial, and Borderline. People having these disorders usually appear to others as being erratic, dramatic, or emotional.

One of the most challenging to deal personality disorder is the BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder). Symptoms associated with this disorder include unstable interpersonal relationships, instability in emotional behaviour, inappropriate intense anger, impulsivity, self-mutilation (burning, cutting, etc), and suicidal gestures. Due to such severe outcomes of this disorder, patients suffering from BPD are difficult to deal through therapy, as they continuously fail in responding to therapeutic efforts. BPD is considered to be a life-threatening disorder which can cause a great deal of psychological pain to people suffering from this illness. Patients have reported that their range of emotions from dissociation and numbness to unbearable distress in emotions can increase out of nowhere (Taylor, 2008, 723). One of the major reasons of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is to help the sufferers in developing tools for identifying and evaluating such disruptions and distortions (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979, 124; Beck, Freeman, & Davis, 2004, 100).

Research Question

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a well-established and well-suited technique for addressing enduring and diverse patients' issues suffering from personality disorders for different reasons. From the perspective of cognitive behavioural therapy, personality disorders are managed by combining maladaptive beliefs and assumptions about other and one-self, environmental/ contextual factors reinforcing problematic attitudes and behaviours, and skill deficiencies that prevent adaptive responding. Cognitive behavioural therapy integrates a variety of techniques for modifying these factors that include behaviour modifications, skills training, psycho-education, exposure, and cognitive restructuring. Additionally, CBT for personality disorders focus on the significance of a collaborative, well-defined and supportive therapeutic relationship, which increase willingness among patients for making changes and serving as a strong source of contingency. In total, different factors of conceptual framework of CBT and its technical flexibility made it appropriate for addressing diffuse and persuasive impairment which is commonly found within the BPDs sufferers.

The focus of empirical research associated with CBT has strongly focused on evaluating the outcomes of treatment for this therapy, which has increased level of compatibility within the evidence-based ...