Eclectic Structured Psychotherapy for Cluster B Personality Disorder- Borderline Type: A Case Report

Cluster B personality disorders are characterized as having dramatic, emotional, and erratic personality traits with a general lack of empathy for others and poor impulse control. Dialectical behaviour therapy is a known treatment for addressing adaptive behaviours and regulating the patient’s emotions in cluster B personality disorders. The present case study has encountered pathological and psychosocial distress in borderline personality disorder, throughout therapy an eclectic approach was formulated by the use of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and contemporary behavioral techniques. The case presents with a complaint of talking to self, alongside dissociative tendencies with depression, and a feeling of distress with increased tendencies of Non-Suicidal Self Injury in addition to difficulties in social life and nicotine dependency. Further, a clinical interview with the family revealed childhood aggressive behaviour with a lack of remorse and difficulty in expressing appropriate emotions. It was indicated that the integration of these techniques showed improvement from the distress caused by maladaptive personality traits and aided in addressing behavioural habituation further enabling social adaptiveness. Weekly sessions were conducted and tracked by maintaining target goals and homework assignments (involving behavioural exploration and conditioning with social languages and interactions). This case report aims to provide a practical approach to the treatment process that can be used when addressing individuals with similar symptoms and presentation.