The Basics of Borderline Personality Disorder

I was able to locate research adequately for borderline personality disorder and disorder features; however, I did find it challenging to obtain research specifically relating to the adolescent population featuring borderline personality symptoms. As I sifted through most of the research I recognized that diagnosing adolescents with a borderline personality disorder is controversial at best. The stigma surrounding this diagnosis is high and I found it helpful to look for features of borderline as opposed to the actual disorder. However, after thorough evaluation, I found that the article regarding adolescents and self-injury or suicide ideation was appropriate for the client I was treating last semester. In reading the articles, both the meta-analysis and the empirical study were beneficial in supporting my hypothesis that DBT would be an effective treatment for adolescents with these features.

Through assessment of the research, I was able to understand the fundamentals of DBT. The research was direct and concise in the meta-analysis and explained how to employ DBT. Once understanding the tenets of DBT, I further used the empirical study and read it in order to understand how it could be applied with the specific population. Even more than that, I also continued to research on the internet for worksheets, and even further understanding. I recognize wholly the importance of understanding a therapy before you utilize it. By understanding the key modules as a therapist, I will be able to implement it, thereby promoting the strength of treatment.

As I have gathered research and used search engines, I have gained insight as to how to go about assessing the strengths of the articles I found. In the beginning I had difficulty finding articles that were in fact meta-analyses. The meta-analysis that I did find proved to be a good article because it looked at several different aspects of BPD, and the literature surrounding how to treat them. I found that, once I had chosen my meta-analysis, and determined that it had the different facets of DBT included, I would just need to locate a strong empirical study. I found several other articles, but they were not tailored to the specific needs of my client. Even in using the keyword search, I still had difficulty locating an article that portrayed the client accurately. After searching on Google Scholar and school websites, I found the second article to be very informative and helpful regarding my exact client population.

In applying EBP, I think that the best way to improve upon the therapy would be to read as much literature and research on it, and practice implementing strategies with colleagues, or friends in order to familiarize myself with it. I think that if I had a significant amount of time and had a great resource tools (i.e. worksheets, training videos, seminars) I may be able to further implement the strategies with confidence. If the knowledge base is there in regards to the foundation of the therapy, then applying it will be less difficult. I would set up a plan for the sessions purpose ahead of time and create a format for working on the specific goals. Furthermore, I think that in order to improve the research that I find, I would need to expend more time and energy into understanding exactly what the research is explaining. I need to look at several articles across the board to determine whether or not it seems to be effective in more than just one study. Lastly, I think that overall if I have a good grasp on what the core purpose of DBT is and learn how it is applied in therapy, then I will be able to utilize it well. The more knowledge base I have for this therapy, the easier it will be for me to employ it throughout session. If I develop a solid foundation of the purpose of why this therapy is used, how it is used, when it is used, and with whom it is used, I will be able to execute it more efficiently.