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Ameliorating patient stigma amongst staff working with personality disorder: Randomized controlled trial of self-management versus skills training

APA Citation

Clarke, S., Taylor, G., Bolderston, H., Lancaster, J., & Remington, B. (2015). Ameliorating patient stigma amongst staff working with personality disorder: Randomized controlled trial of self-management versus skills training. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 43, 692-704. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465814000320

Publication Topic
ACT: Empirical
Other Third-Wave Therapies: Empirical
Publication Type
Article
RCT
Language
English
Keyword(s)
Personality Disorder; Stigma; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT); Training; Acceptance
Abstract

Background

Patients diagnosed with a personality disorder (PD) are often stigmatised by the healthcare staff who treat them.

Aims

This study aimed to compare the impact on front-line staff of a self management Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based training intervention (ACTr) with a knowledge- and skills-based Dialectical Behaviour Training intervention (DBTr).

Method

A service-based randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing the effects of 2-day ACTr (N = 53) and DBTr (N = 47) staff workshops over 6 months. Primary outcome measures were staff attitudes towards patients and staff-patient relationships.

Results

For both interventions, staff attitudes, therapeutic relationship, and social distancing all improved pre- to post-intervention, and these changes were maintained at 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions

Although offering different resources to staff, both ACTr and DBTr were associated with an improved disposition towards PD patients. Future research could evaluate a combined approach, both for staff working with PD patients and those working with other stigmatised groups.