Volume 13, Issue 2 (June 2026)
Avicenna J Neuro Psycho Physiology 2026, 13(2): 0-0 |
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Ethics code: IR.IAU.NAJAFABAD.REC.1403.165
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Ebrahimi Nevisi A, Latifi Z, Haghayegh S A. Mentalization-Based Therapy versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Comparative Effects on Quality of Life and Symptom Improvement in Iranian Women with Borderline Personality Traits. Avicenna J Neuro Psycho Physiology 2026; 13 (2)
URL: http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-553-en.html
URL: http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-553-en.html
1- Department of Psychology, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.
2- Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran. ,z_yalatif@pnu.ac.ir
2- Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran. ,
Abstract: (26 Views)
Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric condition characterized by pervasive emotion dysregulation, unstable interpersonal relationships, and chronic impulsivity. Individuals with borderline personality traits (BPT) frequently report diminished quality of life (QoL) and elevated psychiatric comorbidity. Despite the growing use of psychotherapeutic interventions, comparative evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in this population remains limited. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of MBT and CBT on QoL and borderline symptom severity in Iranian women with BPT.
Methods: A semi-experimental pretest–posttest follow-up design was employed. A total of 50 women aged 25–40 years with a confirmed BPT diagnosis were recruited from four outpatient clinics in Isfahan, Iran (2024) and randomly assigned to three groups: MBT (n=17), CBT (n=17), and control (n=16). Following attrition, 45 participants completed all study phases (n=15 per group). The MBT was delivered across eight 90-minute sessions per the Bateman & Fonagy (2010) protocol; CBT followed Beck’s cognitive-behavioral framework, following Fathi & Motabi (2015). Outcomes were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF; WHOQOL Group, 1998) and the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23; Bohus et al., 2009). Data were analyzed via repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests using the SPSS (version 26.0) software.
Results: The results indicated significant improvements in QoL and reductions in borderline symptom severity in both intervention groups compared with the control group (P<0.001). Between-group comparisons revealed that MBT produced greater long-term gains in QoL and more durable symptom reduction at follow-up (F=6.48, P=0.014), suggesting stronger maintenance effects than CBT.
Conclusions: Both interventions are effective for reducing BPT-related symptoms and improving QoL in Iranian women. MBT may confer greater long-term benefit by fostering sustained mentalizing capacity and emotion regulation skills.
Methods: A semi-experimental pretest–posttest follow-up design was employed. A total of 50 women aged 25–40 years with a confirmed BPT diagnosis were recruited from four outpatient clinics in Isfahan, Iran (2024) and randomly assigned to three groups: MBT (n=17), CBT (n=17), and control (n=16). Following attrition, 45 participants completed all study phases (n=15 per group). The MBT was delivered across eight 90-minute sessions per the Bateman & Fonagy (2010) protocol; CBT followed Beck’s cognitive-behavioral framework, following Fathi & Motabi (2015). Outcomes were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF; WHOQOL Group, 1998) and the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23; Bohus et al., 2009). Data were analyzed via repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests using the SPSS (version 26.0) software.
Results: The results indicated significant improvements in QoL and reductions in borderline symptom severity in both intervention groups compared with the control group (P<0.001). Between-group comparisons revealed that MBT produced greater long-term gains in QoL and more durable symptom reduction at follow-up (F=6.48, P=0.014), suggesting stronger maintenance effects than CBT.
Conclusions: Both interventions are effective for reducing BPT-related symptoms and improving QoL in Iranian women. MBT may confer greater long-term benefit by fostering sustained mentalizing capacity and emotion regulation skills.
Keywords: Mentalization-Based Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Borderline Personality Traits, Emotion Dysregulation, Quality of Life
Article Type: Research Article |
Subject:
Personality disorders
Received: 2025/12/6 | Accepted: 2026/03/20 | Published: 2026/06/20
Received: 2025/12/6 | Accepted: 2026/03/20 | Published: 2026/06/20
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