Internal Family Systems Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

NCT07342907 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: IFS for BPD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves intense emotional ups and downs, unstable relationships, impulsivity, and a poor sense of self. These challenges often lead to addiction, self-harm, and frequent use of healthcare services. While certain treatments already in practice - such as dialectical behavior therapy - can help, they don't work for everyone or address all aspects of the disorder. This study plans to explore internal family systems (IFS) therapy, a method that views the mind as made up of different "parts" - each with its own thoughts and feelings. IFS helps people build understanding and compassion toward these parts and connect with a calmer, more centered "Self." This may be especially useful for those with BPD, who often feel fragmented and extremely critical of themselves and others. This will be the first study to examine internal family systems therapy for BPD. The participants (15 in total) will receive up to 50 individual sessions over 15 months. Changes in symptoms and overall mental health will be measured at four points during the study. People with lived experience of BPD will help shape the research to ensure it is relevant, respectful, and useful for others facing similar challenges.

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Keywords

borderline personality disorder; psychotherapy; effectiveness; internal family systems therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Severity of borderline personality disorder symptomatology - disorder-specific mental distress

  This first indicator of the primary outcome will be assessed by the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23, Bohus et al., 2009). This self-report measure consists of items that 1) are based on DSM diagnostic criteria as well as expert opinions and expert-by-experience input; and 2) displayed a high level of sensitivity to change and ability to discriminate individuals with versus without borderline personality disorder. Scale items cover areas such as affective instability, emotional pain, identity disturbance, interpersonal sensitivity, cognitive-perceptual distress, impulsivity-related subjective distress, and suicidal ideation. Total scores range from 0 to 92 with higher scores indicating greater severity of borderline personality disorder symptoms.

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

• Severity of borderline personality disorder symptomatology - dysfunctional behaviors

  This second indicator of the primary outcome will be assessed by the supplementary scale of the Borderline Symptom List (BSL). This 11-item scale (BSL-Supplement; Bohus et al., 2007) assesses the extent of dysfunctional behaviours associated with borderline personality disorder such as self-injurious behaviour, suicidality, binge and purge behaviours, impulsivity, hostile outbursts, and sexual promiscuity. Total scores range from 0 to 44 with higher scores reflecting greater frequency or severity of borderline-related behaviors.

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Emotion dysregulation

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

• Addictive behaviors

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

• Interpersonal functioning

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

• Shame and guilt

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

• Self-compassion

  Change in scores between baseline and intervention end (approx. 12-15 months)

Other Outcomes (5)

• Intervention feasibility

  Intervention end only (approx. 12-15 months)

• Intervention tolerability

  Intervention end only (approx. 12-15 months)

• Intervention satisfaction

  Intervention end only (approx. 12-15 months)

Study Arms (1)

Intervention recipients

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will engage in internal family systems therapy in the individual format. This form of psychotherapy conceptualizes the mind as a system of subpersonalities ('parts') organized around a compassionate, stable core Self. The approach promotes internal harmony through increasing awareness, acceptance, and cooperation among these parts and the Self. Participants will receive weekly, up to 50, one-hour IFS therapy sessions in the private mental health care setting over approximately 12 to 15 months. Treatment will be delivered by two licensed mental health professionals trained in the IFS model. Participants will pay a significantly subsidized session fee to reduce financial burden of participation in the intervention.

Behavioral: Internal family systems therapy

Interventions

Internal family systems therapy BEHAVIORAL

The internal family systems model was developed by Richard C. Schwartz in the 1980s. This psychotherapy is based on the assumption that the human mind is naturally multiple and consists of interacting sub-personalities ("parts"), including protective and vulnerable parts, shaped by development and adversity. All parts are assumed to have positive intentions, even when their effects are maladaptive; therapy therefore aims to transform rather than eliminate them. Internal family systems therapy further posits the existence of a core Self in every person, characterized by qualities such as compassion, clarity, and calm, which is inherently intact in each individual and capable of leading the internal system. Therapeutic change involves increasing the leadership skills of the core Self, building trusting relationships among parts and the core Self, and unburdening vulnerable parts so they can assume more adaptive roles, supporting improved emotion regulation and well-being.

Also known as: IFS

Intervention recipients

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Resident of Ontario, Canada;
• Sufficient fluency in English to provide informed consent, participate in therapy sessions, and complete self-reported assessments;
• Diagnosis of borderline personality disorder confirmed by a healthcare professional authorized to establish such a diagnosis in Ontario;
• Willingness and ability (including financial means) to participate in the 50-session, 12-15-month intervention and the study assessments;
• Capacity and willingness to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Current manic or psychotic symptoms regardless of diagnosis;
• Substance dependence severe enough to interfere with meaningful level of engagement in the study intervention.
• Cognitive impairment or neurological disorders that would preclude informed consent or meaningful participation in the study intervention.
• Concurrent participation in any another form of psychotherapy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care: lead

Study Sites (1)

Provincewide across Ontario (intervention can be delivered virtually)

Tiny, Ontario, Canada

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Borderline Personality Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personality Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Barna Konkoly-Thege, PhD

  Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Barna Konkoly-Thege, PhD

CONTACT

705-549-3181; bkonkoly-thege@waypointcentre.ca

Stephanie Munten-Chisholm, MSc

CONTACT

705-549-3181; smunten@waypointcentre.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Psychologist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2026
• First Posted: January 15, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2028
• Last Updated: January 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, ICF
• Time Frame: The data set will be available upon study completion, permanently.

Locations

CA (1)