Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Personality Disorders

Recommended Prerequisites

It is recommended that students have previously adquired some knowledge about psychopathology, as well as basic knowledge about psychological interventions in mental health conditions.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, discussion of clinical cases, role-play of psychotherapy sessions. Simulation exercises based on famous characters (movies characters, novel characters and biographical material, celebrities) who display typical traits of personality disorders. Group exercises concerning specific clinical cases and rehearsal of the implementation of intervention strategies for specific personality disorders. 

Learning Outcomes

General Goals: (1) To understand the nature, features and diagnostic criteria for personality disorders, and (2) to know the relevant cognitive-behavioral models for the assessment and intervention with personality disordered patients.

Specific Goals

1. Knowledge about the diagnostic systems and criteria for personality disorders (DSM5 and ICD 10);

2. Capability to assess personality disorders by using clinical interviews and structured assessment instruments;

3. Knowledge about the main cognitive models relevant for case conceptualization and intervention with PD patients.

 

Outcomes/Competencies

To know how to use personality disorders classification systems and manuals; to be able to recognize and to diagnose personality disorders including differential diagnosis; to be able to use major cognitive-behavioral strategies with PD patients; to be able to adapt intervention programs to personality disordered people; to develop relational skills for interventions with PD patients.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Personality Disorders – Introduction, history and relevant issues

2. Personality Disorders in DSM 5 and ICD 10

3. Personality Disorders epidemiology and comorbidity issues

4. Diagnostic and assessment instruments and procedures

5. Cognitive psychopathology of Personality Disorders and therapeutic intervention: Beck and Freeman’s cognitive model, Dialetical-Behavioral Therapy, Young’s Schema Focused Therapy, and J. Safran’s cognitive-interpersonal approach

6. Specific cases: Borderline PD, Obsessive-Compulsive PD, and Narcisistic PD

7. Critical issues of Personality Disorders psychotherapy: scope, efficacy and limits of interventions

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Case study to be done in small groups (6 points): 30.0%
Two written tests on theorethical contents (7 points each = 14): 70.0%

Bibliography

Beck, A. T., Davis, D. D., and Freeman, A. (Eds) (2015). Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders (3rd Ed.) Guilford.

 

Safran, J.D. & Segal, Z.V. (1990). Interpersonal Process in Cognitive Therapy. Basic Books.

 

Rafaeli, E., Bernstein, D. P., & Young, J. (2011). Schema therapy. New York: Routledge.

 

Swales, M. A., and Heard, H. L. (2016) Dialetical behavior therapy (2nd Ed). NY: Routledge.

 

Rijo, D. (2017). O questionário de esquemas de Young (YSQ-S3). In M. Gonçaves, M. R. Simões, & L. Almeida, (Eds). Psicologia clínica e da saúde: instrumentos de avaliação. Lisboa: PACTOR. (159-173).

 

Rijo, D. & Wainer, R. (2019). Terapia de esquemas em diferentes contextos e demandas clínicas. In Federação Brasileira de Terapias Cognitivas, C. B. Neufeld, E. M. O. Falcone & B. P. Rangé. (Orgs.), PROCOGNITIVA Programa de Atualização em Terapia Cognitiva.

 

Wainer, R., Paim, K., Erdos, R., & Andriola, R. (Org.) (2016). Integração em psicoterapia: Terapia cognitiva focada em esquemas. Artmed/Brasil.