Effectiveness of Autobiographical Rewriting Workshops on the Socio-Professional Functioning of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder Undergoing Third-Wave Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT07199166 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: RECHMPL24_0016
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 140
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the effectiveness of autobiographical rewriting workshops combined with third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in improving social and professional functioning in individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD affects approximately 2 to 6% of the general population and is frequently associated with suicidal behaviors, unstable relationships, and low self-esteem. This disorder is often linked to early traumatic experiences that impact autobiographical memory and self-perception. While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a standard treatment for BPD, it does not fully address all the needs of patients. The aim of this study is to determine whether autobiographical rewriting, which allows individuals to restructure and reinterpret their memories in a more resilient way, can improve autobiographical memory, self-esteem, and reduce emotional symptoms. Participants will be randomized into two groups: one group will undergo autobiographical rewriting workshops in addition to third-wave CBT sessions, while the other group will participate in non-specific writing sessions also in addition to third-wave CBT sessions. The study will compare the two groups to evaluate the effectiveness of autobiographical rewriting workshops in enhancing social and professional well-being. Expected outcomes include improvements in interpersonal relationships, greater professional stability, and a reduction in emotional symptoms assessed immediately post-intervention, then 3 months and 6 months after. This study may offer a complementary therapeutic approach to existing treatments, helping patients manage their symptoms more effectively and improve their quality of life.

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder; Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Keywords

borderline personality disorder; autobiographical rewriting; third wave CBT

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Improvement in Social Functioning

  The change in the score on the Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) will be assessed between pre-intervention and post-intervention immediately, and compared between the two groups. The SFQ measures social functioning over the past two weeks, with 16 items divided into 8 domains: professional activities, daily life tasks, leisure, family and couple relationships, extrafamily relationships, financial and administrative management, general health, and community life and information. For each domain, participants assess the frequency and satisfaction of their activities

  immediate post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (26)

• Autobiographical Memory

  immediate post-intervention

• Autobiographical Memory

  3 months post-intervention

• Improvement in Social Functioning

  3 months post-intervention

• Improvement in Social Functioning

  6 months post-intervention

• Autobiographical Memory

  6 months post-intervention

Study Arms (2)

INTERVENTION GROUP

EXPERIMENTAL

Sessions of maintenance in third-wave CBT as part of the usual treatment plan (10 weekly sessions of 45 minutes over 10 weeks) + Autobiographical Rewriting Workshops (10 autobiographical rewriting sessions over 10 weeks, one session per week)

Behavioral: Autobiographical Rewriting Workshops

CONTROL GROUP

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Third-wave CBT maintenance sessions as part of the usual treatment plan (10 weekly sessions of 45 minutes over 10 weeks) + Non-specific Writing Workshops (10 autobiographical non-specific writing sessions over 10 weeks, one session per week)

Behavioral: Non-specific writing workshops

Interventions

Autobiographical Rewriting Workshops BEHAVIORAL

10 two-hour autobiographical rewriting workshop sessions, held weekly. This program encourages participants to explore their own history in a way that fosters narrative resilience, highlighting their ability to overcome challenges, transform failures into learning opportunities, express themselves creatively, reexamine their memories, and rebuild a more positive sense of identity that better aligns with the needs of accurate self-recognition of their potential. This program is particularly inspired by the concepts of resilience (Boris Cyrulnik), identification (Karine Gros), the Hero's Journey (Joseph Campbell), narrative therapy (David Denborough), and works on various types of story structures (Blake Snyder).

INTERVENTION GROUP

Non-specific writing workshops BEHAVIORAL

10 sessions of 2 hours of non-specific writing, held weekly. To increase the active role of the participants, they will be encouraged to write on the theme of the session during the time between sessions. The writing themes are non-specific, unlike the intervention group, and include topics such as poetry, historical events, nature reports, imaginary interviews, children's stories, etc.

CONTROL GROUP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Subjects with borderline personality disorder (assessed by SCID-2),
• Subjects aged between 18 and 45 years (inclusive).

You may not qualify if:

• Psychotic disorder (assessed by SCID),
• Subjects deprived of their liberty (by judicial or administrative decision, or involuntary hospitalization),
• Subjects under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship, or judicial protection),
• Subjects not affiliated with a social security,
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women,
• Inability to understand the nature, purpose, and methodology of the study,
• Inability to understand, speak, or write French,
• Failure to provide informed oral consent to participate in the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Montpellier: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personality Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2025
• First Posted: September 30, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2028
• Last Updated: September 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09