scholarly journals Against Ulysses contracts for patients with borderline personality disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 695-703
Author(s):  
Antoinette Lundahl ◽  
Gert Helgesson ◽  
Niklas Juth

Abstract Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) sometimes request to be admitted to hospital under compulsory care, often under the argument that they cannot trust their suicidal impulses if treated voluntarily. Thus, compulsory care is practised as a form of Ulysses contract in such situations. In this normative study we scrutinize the arguments commonly used in favour of such Ulysses contracts: (1) the patient lacking free will, (2) Ulysses contracts as self-paternalism, (3) the patient lacking decision competence, (4) Ulysses contracts as a defence of the authentic self, and (5) Ulysses contracts as a practical solution in emergency situations. In our study, we have accepted consequentialist considerations as well as considerations of autonomy. We conclude that compulsory care is not justified when there is a significant uncertainty of beneficial effects or uncertainty regarding the patient’s decision-making capacity. We have argued that such uncertainty is present regarding BPD patients. Hence, Ulysses contracts including compulsory care should not be used for this group of patients.

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S47-S47
Author(s):  
B. Völlm ◽  
J. Stoffers-Winterling ◽  
J. Mattivi ◽  
E. Simonson ◽  
O.J. Storebø ◽  
...  

BackgroundDespite the relatively weak evidence base, individuals with borderline personality disorder are often treated with pharmacological interventions. Amongst the drugs, which have shown most promise, are mood stabilizers, which were one of the two drug classes with the most beneficial effects in a previous cochrane review though the robustness of findings was described as low (Stoffers et al., 2010). Here we present data on the latest evidence for mood stabilizers based on an updated cochrane review currently underway.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted. All randomized comparisons of drug vs. placebo, drug vs. drug, or drug vs. a combination of drugs in adult BPD patients were eligible for inclusion. Outcomes comprised BPD core pathology as depicted by DSM criteria, associated pathology, i.e., depression and anxiety, general measures of overall psychopathology severity, tolerability, and adverse effects. Two researchers selected trials, assessed quality and extracted data independently.ResultsOnly a limited number of additional trials using mood stabilizers was identified since the publication of the last cochrane review, mainly utilizing Sodium Valproate. This added to the evidence base for mood stabilizers though the overall evidence remains very limited.ConclusionMood stabilizers show some initial evidence for their effectiveness in borderline personality disorder. However, these have to be replicated before wider conclusions can be drawn for clinical practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interest.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karyn Ayre ◽  
Gareth S. Owen ◽  
Paul Moran

SummaryThe use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in assessing decision-making capacity in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is inconsistent. We believe this may stem from persisting confusion regarding the nosological status of personality disorder and also a failure to recognise the fact that emotional dysregulation and characteristic psychodynamic abnormalities may cause substantial difficulties in using and weighing information. Clearer consensus on these issues is required in order to provide consistent patient care and reduce uncertainty for clinicians in what are often emergency and high-stakes clinical scenarios.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147775092110401
Author(s):  
Antoinette Lundahl ◽  
Johan Hellqvist ◽  
Gert Helgesson ◽  
Niklas Juth

Introduction Borderline personality disorder patients are often subjected to inpatient compulsory care due to suicidal behaviour. However, inpatient care is usually advised against as it can have detrimental effects, including increased suicidality. Aim To investigate what motives psychiatrists have for treating borderline personality disorder patients under compulsory care. Materials and Methods A questionnaire survey was distributed to all psychiatrists and registrars in psychiatry working at mental health emergency units or inpatient wards in Sweden. The questionnaire contained questions with fixed response alternatives, with room for comments, about the respondents’ motives for practising compulsory care of borderline personality disorder patients. The responses were analysed quantitatively with descriptive statistics, and comments were analysed with qualitative descriptive content analysis. Results The psychiatrists’ views were divided on when it was justified to treat borderline personality disorder patients under compulsory care, as were their views on borderline personality disorder patients’ decision competence. When there was an assessed risk of harm, 53% were positive to compulsory care of decision-competent borderline personality disorder patients and another 31% because they considered the patients to be decision incompetent in such situations. Adding the risk of harm caused many respondents to alter their assessment of the patient from decision competent to decision incompetent. Conclusion The large variations in doctors’ opinions indicate that the care of borderline personality disorder patients is arbitrary. Further, the assessed risk of harm increases the use of compulsory care, even though such care is advised against in clinical guidelines, has questionable legal support, and could lead to an increased suicide risk over time.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Euler ◽  
Tobias Nolte ◽  
Matthew Constantinou ◽  
Julia Griem ◽  
P. Read Montague ◽  
...  

Interpersonal problems are a core symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study investigated the relationship between emotion dysregulation, impulsiveness, and impaired mentalizing in the context of predicting interpersonal problems in BPD. A total of 210 patients with BPD completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-32). The authors conducted three path models, with either mentalizing, emotion regulation, or impulsiveness as the exogenous variable. Emotion dysregulation and attentional impulsiveness predicted interpersonal problems directly, whereas hypomentalizing predicted interpersonal problems only indirectly throughout emotion dysregulation and attentional impulsiveness. The results suggest that these domains contribute significantly to interpersonal problems in BPD. Moreover, hypomentalizing might affect on interpersonal problems via its effect on impulsiveness and emotion regulation. The authors argue that focusing on emotion regulation and mentalizing in BPD treatments might have interlinked beneficial effects on interpersonal problems.


Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Jacqueline M. Frei ◽  
Vladimir Sazhin ◽  
Melissa Fick ◽  
Keong Yap

Abstract. Psychiatric hospitalization can cause significant distress for patients. Research has shown that to cope with the stress, patients sometimes resort to self-harm. Given the paucity of research on self-harm among psychiatric inpatients, a better understanding of transdiagnostic processes as predictors of self-harm during psychiatric hospitalization is needed. The current study examined whether coping styles predicted self-harm after controlling for commonly associated factors, such as age, gender, and borderline personality disorder. Participants were 72 patients (mean age = 39.32 years, SD = 12.29, 64% male) admitted for inpatient treatment at a public psychiatric hospital in Sydney, Australia. Participants completed self-report measures of coping styles and ward-specific coping behaviors, including self-harm, in relation to coping with the stress of acute hospitalization. Results showed that younger age, diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, and higher emotion-oriented coping were associated with self-harm. After controlling for age and borderline personality disorder, higher levels of emotion-oriented coping were found to be a significant predictor of self-harm. Findings were partially consistent with hypotheses; emotion-oriented but not avoidance-oriented coping significantly predicted self-harm. This finding may help to identify and provide psychiatric inpatients who are at risk of self-harm with appropriate therapeutic interventions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne van Alebeek ◽  
Paul T. van der Heijden ◽  
Christel Hessels ◽  
Melissa S.Y. Thong ◽  
Marcel van Aken

Abstract. One of the most common personality disorders among adolescents and young adults is the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The objective of current study was to assess three questionnaires that can reliably screen for BPD in adolescents and young adults (N = 53): the McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD; Zanarini et al., 2003 ), the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire 4th edition – BPD scale (PDQ-4 BPD; Hyler, 1994 ), and the SCID-II Patient Questionnaire – BPD scale (SCID-II-PQ BPD). The nine criteria of BPD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV; APA, 1994 ) were measured with the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II disorders – BPD scale (SCID-II; First, Spitzer, Gibbon, Williams, & Benjamin, 1995 ). Correlations between the questionnaires and the SCID-II were calculated. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaires were tested. All instruments predicted the BPD diagnosis equally well.


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