the effectiveness of Mentalization Based Therapy on Splitting and Paranoid Ideation of Borderline Personality Disorder patients

effectiveness of MBT on Splitting and Paranoid Ideation

Authors

  • Mohammad Reza Yekta Ph.D. Candidate of Counseling, Department of Counseling and Psychology, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Fatemeh Amiri
    Fatemew.amiri74@gmail.com
    M.A. of General Psychology, Department of General Psychology, Islamshahr Branch, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Nazanin Aghayee M.A. Student of Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Roudehen Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Samira Mohammadi M.A. of Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Arefeh Robatjazi M.A. of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Rozhin Ilkhaniha B.A. Student of Psychology, Department of psychology, Taylor’s University, Selangor, Malaysia., Malaysia
  • Mohammad Reza Hajrezaei Ph.D. Student of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran., Iran, Islamic Republic of
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2025)
Quantitative Study(ies)
November 18, 2024
February 26, 2025

Background: Interpersonal relationships in borderline personality disorder are often chaotic, because people with BPD frequently cycle between love and hate feelings for significant others so This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Mentalization Based Therapy on Splitting and Paranoid Ideation of Borderline Personality Disorder patients.

Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental one, which included pretest-posttest design with a control group. The population of this study consisted of all people with borderline personality disorder referring to Tehran’s psychotherapy clinics in 2023. The sample included 30 people with BPD who were selected through availability sampling and randomly assigned into intervention and control group. After being examined by pretests of splitting and paranoid ideation, the examinees of intervention group received 12 MBT group sessions. Then a posttest was conducted using Splitting Index and Paranoia Scale. The data were analyzed via SPSS-26 through Analysis of Covariance.

Results: intervention group’s means were reduced and the difference between groups in Splitting (F=86/33, p<0/05) and paranoid ideation (F=65/47, p<0/05) was significant.

Discussion: The findings from this study underline the benefits of Mentalization based therapy in addressing splitting and paranoid ideation among borderline personality disorder patients and study highlights the importance of addressing splitting and paranoid ideation as a means to improve BPD patients’ communicational problems.