Predicting response to day treatment for personality disorder

Abstract

Objective: Efforts to improve the effectiveness of day treatment should attend to factors that influence treatment response. Our prospective study identified predictors of response to day treatment for personality disorder (PD). Method: Patients with a PD, consecutively admitted to a day treatment program, were assessed with self-report and interview measures. Predictors included personality characteristic, demographic, initial disturbance, and PD variables. Patients' overall response to treatment was classified as better, same, or worse, based on change in multiple outcome measures. A comprehensive approach to multivariate modelling was used. Results: The likelihood of being classified as better significantly increased if the patient was more psychologically minded, used avoidance-oriented coping strategies, and had a high level of baseline symptom severity. Probability of being classified as better decreased if the patient had a substance use disorder and a history of high service use. Conclusions: Identifying factors that affect response to day treatment can help clinicians make better selection decisions or take measures to modify treatment.