Is mentalization-based therapy effective in treating the symptoms of borderline personality disorder? A systematic review

Objective. This review sought to systematically review evidence on the efficacy of mentalization-based therapy (MBT) for the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD), in particular, in decreasing psychiatric symptoms associated with BPD and its comorbid disorders.
Method. Fourteen papers were included in the review which examined the effective- ness of MBT in the context of BPD; these included 11 original studies and three follow-up papers.
Results. Mentalization-based therapy was found to achieve either superior or equal reductions in psychiatric symptoms when compared with other treatments (supportive group therapy, treatment as usual/standard psychiatric care, structured clinical manage- ment, and specialized clinical management).
Discussion. Mentalization-based therapy can achieve significant reductions in BPD symptom severity and the severity of comorbid disorders as well as increase quality of life. However, caution is required, as the need for better quality research such as randomized controlled trials is pressing. Research is also needed on the proposed mediators of MBT.