Advisor(s)

Barbara F. Okun

Contributor(s)

Karin N. Lifter, Ralph Buonopane

Date of Award

2009

Date Accepted

9-2009

Degree Grantor

Northeastern University

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department or Academic Unit

Bouve College of Health Sciences. Department of Counseling & Applied Educational Psychology

Keywords

psychology, clinical, borderline, CBT, neuropsychology, picture arrangement

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD is a mental illness with etiological foundations in psychodynamic theory. BPD is characterized by difficulty with emotion regulation and social functioning. Major theoretical orientations have varying accounts of the causes of BPD, and these theoretical approaches have guided treatment. However, neuropsychological studies of people with BPD have identified specific deficits, which may have implications for treatment efficacy. In this dissertation, individuals with BPD were recruited from a cognitive-behavioral partial hospital program. Treatment outcome measures were administered as part of a larger study on program effectiveness. The study participants were administered the Picture Arrangement subtest of the WAIS, as well as the Stroop Color-Word Test. According to the results of regression analyses, Picture Arrangement and Stroop were significant predictors of substance abuse reduction between intake and discharge. However, lower Picture Arrangement scores were predictive of more symptom remission in depression and substance abuse, while higher Stroop scores predicted more symptom remission. These results are discussed in terms of their clinical implications, highlighting the relationships between BPD, nonverbal functioning, and treatment outcomes in cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Document Type

Dissertation

Rights Information

copyright 2009

Rights Holder

Catherine B. Mulrooney


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