Mentalization-Based Group Therapy for Adolescents with Avoidant Personality Disorder: Adaptations and Findings from a Practice-Based Pilot Evaluation

ABSTRACT

Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is amongst the most severe personality disorders (PDs) and associated with a marked reduction in social functioning. However, AVPD research is sparse and little is known about treatment efficacy. In adolescents with AVPD even less is known about the disorder, and no studies have investigated the effect of psychotherapeutic treatment for this group. In this study, we present a new group-oriented treatment approach, Mentalization-Based Treatment for Avoidant Adolescents (MBT-AA), based on Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) principles and with elements from positive psychotherapy. Furthermore, we report on findings from a small MBT-AA case example and show that the treatment program reduces avoidant personality pathology, internalizing pathology and increases mentalization. We discuss the results and the potential empowering aspects of this new approach.

Acknowledgments

We thank the staff at the psychiatric unit for facilitating this project, and the patients for their consent to participate.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Notes

1. In the second MBT-I session, “My favorite interest” was swopped with “My favorite dish” and in the third session with “My best experience”.

2. The video element was part of the first 10 sessions and was replaced in the 11th session with the mentalization analysis of concrete situations as described in the MBT group manual by Karterud (2015).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sune Bo

Sune Bo is a clinical psychologist, PhD and senior researcher.

Anthony Bateman

Anthony Bateman is Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist and MBT co-ordinator, Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families; Visiting Professor University College, London; Honorary Professor in Psychotherapy University of Copenhagen.

Mickey T. Kongerslev

Mickey T. Kongerslev is clinical psychologist, PhD and senior researcher.