RecruitingACTRN12612000843853

Treatment of personality disorders using a whole of service guidelines-based approach

Treatment of personality disorders using a whole of service guidelines-based approach to improve functioning and reduce hospital use: a delayed randomised controlled trial

Sponsor

University of Wollongong

Enrollment

1,000 participants

Start Date

Jun 22, 2011

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Mental Health Personality Disorders

Summary

Treatment for personality disorder is effective but only specialist long-term approaches have been studied on specific subsets of patients with highly trained staff. This study aims to evaluate a whole of service approach in a large public mental health service. The treatment is guidelines-based approach based on a relationship model (Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders 2011). A delayed randomised controlled trial compares this approach to standard care.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 12 Yearss

Inclusion Criteria5

Meets diagnostic criteria for Personality Disorder
Ability and willingness to give informed consent and comply with study procedures (secondary outcome)
Aged 12 or older
Seeking treatment at a service within the indicated geographical location
Fluent in English (secondary outcome)

Exclusion Criteria3

Psychiatric condition due to a medical condition
Primary diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Are unlikely to be able to read and understand the information sheet and consent form

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Interventions

Active intervention is a whole of service guidelines-based treatment, derived from a relationship model, and will be compared to treatment as usual (TAU). The approach emphasises good clinical care grounded in developed treatment guidelines (Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders 2011) derived from the NICE (2009) and Gunderson and Links Clinical Guide for treating people with Personality Disorders (2008). Treatment is a stepped care approach, including specialised individual, group and family interventions delivered by mental health professionals trained in the model, for up to 12 months. Service sections are randomly divided into practice sites receiving the intervention or treatment as usual. After a 12-month delay, planning and implementation for the TAU site will commence. The study has two aims: (1) to assess the impact of the implementation compared to TAU on a service level, using hospital records (primary outcome), and (2) to assess the impact of the implementation on patient outcomes and therapist knowledge and attitudes (secondary outcomes).