NCT04160871

"Family Connections": a Program for Relatives of People With Borderline Personality Disorder

Efficacy of "Family Connections", a Program for Relatives of People With Borderline Personality Disorder in Spanish Population: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Control Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 124 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Universitat Jaume I · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to validate an intervention for relatives of people with borderline personality disorder in Spanish population in a randomized control trial.

Detailed description

Family members of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often experience high levels of suffering, anxiety, stress, burden and helplessness. The treatment program with the most empirical support is "Family Connections". It is one of the first programs specifically designed to help relatives of patients with BPD. The program is an adaptation of multiple strategies of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. It consists of 12 sessions with an approximate duration of two hours each. The results of these studies and their subsequent replications showed an improvement in family attitudes and perceived burden. The investigators have translated and adapted the program so that it could be applied to the Spanish population. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the adaptation of "Family connections" in Spanish population through a controlled clinical trial. The first hypothesis of the study is that "Family Connections" will be more effective (significant reduction in the primary outcome variables), compared with a Treatment As Usual (TAU), in the posttest time and in the follow-ups of 3 and 6 months. In addition, a second hypothesis is that "Family Connections" will be more efficient (fewer abandonments, better opinion on the part of the patients) than TAU.

Conditions

• Relatives

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Family Connections	Intervention includes 12 sessions that follow a group format of 2 hours with a weekly frequency. FC program (Hoffman and Fruzzetti, 2005) is divided into six modules: 1: Updated information and research on BPD; 2: Psychoeducation on the development of BPD, available treatments and comorbidity; 3: Individual skills: self-control of emotions, mindfulness, reality acceptance skills, validation skills, etc. and skills of relationship to promote emotional well-being problem management (family skills); 4: Family skills to improve the quality of relationships in family interactions; 5: Communication skills and effective self-expression; and 6: Problem management. All modules include Practice exercises and homework. In addition, throughout the program, in order to increase social support, the FC program provides a forum where participants can stay in touch, share common problems and solutions.
BEHAVIORAL	Treatment As Usual	The intervention lasts for 3 months and includes 12 sessions that follow a group format of 2 hours and with a weekly frequency. It includes the following components: Psychoeducation about personality disorders and, specifically, BPD and how these disorders evolve. Problems associated with BPD (eg, alcohol and / or drug use, eating disorders, etc.). The importance of "modeling" in family members: change of attitude towards difficult situations to reduce the escalation of tension and re-establish a healthy relationship between the patient and family. The handling of problems. Crisis management: Development of safe plans for when the patient is in emotional escalation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-11-15
• Primary completion: 2020-09-01
• Completion: 2020-09-01
• First posted: 2019-11-13
• Last updated: 2020-05-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain