Comparison of the Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy and Mentalization-Based Therapy on Rejection Sensitivity in Individuals with Borderline Personality Structure
Keywords:
Borderline personality structure, short-term psychodynamic therapy, mentalization-based therapy, rejection sensitivityAbstract
This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic therapy (STPT) and mentalization-based therapy (MBT) in reducing rejection sensitivity among individuals with borderline personality structure. The research utilized an applied, semi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, control group, and a two-month follow-up. The study population comprised individuals diagnosed with borderline personality structure who attended psychotherapy clinics in western Tehran during the second half of 2024. A total of 45 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into three groups of fifteen after matching for age and gender. The two experimental groups received nine 90-minute sessions of STPT or MBT, while the control group received no intervention during the study period. The Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (Downey & Feldman, 1996) was administered at three stages—pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), repeated-measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results showed a significant main effect of time and a significant time × group interaction on rejection sensitivity (p < 0.001), confirming that both STPT and MBT led to meaningful reductions in rejection sensitivity over time. Post hoc comparisons indicated that both intervention groups had significantly lower post-test and follow-up scores compared to the control group (p < 0.001), while no significant difference was found between the two treatment groups (p > 0.05). These therapeutic effects remained stable during the follow-up period, indicating sustained improvement. The comparable efficacy of the two approaches suggests that both emotional processing through psychodynamic mechanisms and reflective functioning through mentalization play crucial roles in decreasing interpersonal vulnerability and emotional reactivity to perceived rejection.
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