Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
The relatively rapidly development of cognitive-behavioural approaches to various psychological conditions, has prompted clinicians and researchers to investigate the
borderline personality disorder more thoroughly. Research has evidenced the uniqueness of the borderline personality disorder in terms of description, etiology and
therefore treatment. of the various treatments proposed, the cognitive-behavioural approaches appear to be most effective. Latest developments in this area emphasize
cognitive factors such as content-specitic cognitions and Early Maladaptive Schemas. These factors are important tor psychotherapeutic purposes. A hypothesis was formulated which stated broadly that cognitive-behavioural approaches would result in equal treatment efficacy, whether process(schema) or content based, and investigated in the context of a pilot clinical trial with tour subjects. Apart from measures for depression and cognitive processes in the BPD, a depth-of-processing task and a schema questionnaire were utilized in investigation or the hypothesis. These measures, in addition to CB interventions, were applied to a small group or carefully
selected BPD's, with a secondary diagnosis or depression. Findings supported the basic hypothesis of the study, and demonstrated that cognitive-behavioural approaches of either content or process typos are equally etricacious in treatment of the borderline porsonality disorder.