Evaluation of the "Schema-focused Emotive Behavioural Therapy" (SET) for Patients with Personality Disorders: Results of a Randomised Controlled Trial

The "Schema-focussed Emotive Behavioral Therapy" (SET) was developed by our research group as a new group therapy approach for patients with personality disorders from all clusters (A to C; DSM-IV). It was evaluated in a randomised controlled study (n = 93). Data were collected before and after treatment as well as one year after study entry. A completer analysis was conducted with matched subgroups (n = 60). After therapy, SET patients improved in the outcome domains interactional behavior, strain, and symptomatic complaints (IIP-D, GAF, VEV-VW, BSI-P). Furthermore, they showed a significant lower dropout rate. At the follow-up assessment, Cluster C patients of the experimental group deteriorated with regard to symptomatic complaints (BSI-P). in contrast, cluster B patients improved more over time compared to control subjects. SET seems to be an adequate and effective group therapy with effects that seem to be stable over time, especially for patients with Cluster B diagnosis.