Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4503-141X

Date Available

12-21-2022

Year of Publication

2022

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Shannon Sauer-Zavala

Abstract

It is likely that patients with BPD progress through treatment in different ways. Characterizing symptom trajectories during treatment can facilitate the identification of distinct treatment responses, which may be shared by subgroups of patients. Researchers have consistently identified multiple distinct symptom trajectories among individuals with common psychopathological conditions, but no research to date has attempted to do so among patients with BPD. This study used latent growth mixture modeling to identify and characterize distinct classes of symptom trajectories among patients receiving an 18-week cognitive-behavioral treatment for BPD. Two distinct BPD symptom trajectories were identified in this sample, which were primarily separated by symptom severity throughout treatment. Patients with BPD symptoms severity above a certain threshold at baseline therefore may not be suitable candidates for brief treatment. In addition, non-responders reported significantly higher severity in concurrent mood disorder symptoms, greater functional impairment, lower conscientiousness, and higher neuroticism. At outcome, non-responders had significantly lower agreeableness. Identifying symptom trajectories in this population may be useful in detecting patient deviation from anticipated progress, and personalizing treatment plans. In addition, determining baseline factors associated with certain trajectories may improve clinicians’ ability to assign patients to optimal treatment protocols.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2022.452

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