Trial of a Brief Psychological Intervention for Suicidal Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder in the Emergency Department

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Psychological Intervention for Suicidal Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder in the Emergency Department

When in crisis, people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently seek care in emergency departments (EDs) often presenting with suicide and self-harm behaviour. There is no established evidence-based brief intervention for patients with BPD in ED settings, however a 4-session psychotherapeutic intervention for people with personality disorders in ED settings was tested in Australia and showed promising results in reduced health care utilization. The proposed pilot randomized controlled trial will assess the feasibility of delivering this 4-session intervention in the ED for people with BPD who present with suicidal ideation or self-harm with the aim of reducing health care utilization.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. aged 16 or older
2. presenting to ED with self-harm and/or suicidal ideation; and
3. meeting criteria for BPD on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Personality Disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

1. unable to give informed consent;
2. meeting DSM-5 criteria for severe substance use disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder I mania based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (28); and/or
3. IQ < 70 based on the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading