Abstract
Little is known about the effectiveness of treatment programs for adolescents with personality disorders (PDs). This descriptive study investigated long-term outcomes of inpatient psychotherapy for adolescents (IPA). In addition, predictors of long-term treatment effects were investigated. Seventy adolescents who completed their treatment were followed during and after their stay in IPA. Semistructured interviews were used to assess Axis I and Axis II disorders. Patients completed questionnaires to measure symptom severity and personality styles and functioning. Patients showed improvements (d ranging from .18 to .80). After leaving IPA, a small relapse rate was shown Higher levels of dependency or more Cluster C PD traits significantly predicted positive long-term treatment outcome. Although IPA might be effective for a particular group of adolescents, mean long-term treatment effects were at best modest. Given the high costs of IPA, developing adjustments to IPA and their guidelines is warranted to ensure cost-effectiveness.
| Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 637-656 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Journal of Personality Disorders |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |