The Effectiveness of a Third-Wave Behavioral Therapy-Based Intervention Package on Emotion Regulation, Emotional Adjustment, Mood and Anxiety Symptoms, and Borderline Personality Disorder in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder Experiencing Emotional Breakup

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a third-wave behavioral therapy-based intervention package on emotion regulation, emotional adjustment, mood and anxiety symptoms, and borderline personality disorder in patients with borderline personality disorder experiencing emotional breakup. In this randomized controlled trial, 32 individuals with borderline personality disorder who had experienced an emotional breakup were selected from among clients of psychology clinics in Tehran and were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the designed intervention in eight two-hour sessions, while the control group received the intervention after the completion of the study. Participants completed the research questionnaires, including the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (2001), Emotional Adjustment (2007), Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire (2009), and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptom Questionnaire (2001) at three stages: pre-test, post-test, and one-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using within-group and between-group comparisons. The results of within-group and between-group comparisons indicated a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the experimental and control groups in variables of cognitive emotion regulation, emotional adjustment, mood and anxiety symptoms, and borderline personality disorder. The findings of this study suggest the efficacy of combined interventions based on third-wave behavioral therapies concerning emotional breakup in individuals with borderline personality disorder, and it is recommended that they be used in treatment plans for this group.