Research Article
Forgiveness in the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Steven J. Sandage,
Beverly Long, Richelle Moen, Peter J. Jankowski, Everett L. Worthington Jr., Nathaniel G. Wade, Mark S. Rye,
Corresponding Author
Steven J. Sandage
Boston University
Please address correspondence to: Steven J. Sandage, Albert and Jessie Danielsen Insitute, Boston University, 185 Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorSteven J. Sandage,
Beverly Long, Richelle Moen, Peter J. Jankowski, Everett L. Worthington Jr., Nathaniel G. Wade, Mark S. Rye,
Corresponding Author
Steven J. Sandage
Boston University
Please address correspondence to: Steven J. Sandage, Albert and Jessie Danielsen Insitute, Boston University, 185 Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorThis project was supported by a grant from the Fetzer Institute (number 2512).
Abstract
Objective
This pilot study evaluated a manualized group forgiveness module within dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Method
The study utilized a quasi-experimental double pretest design with adults (N = 40; 88.1% female, 11.9% male) diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in outpatient DBT. Measures of forgiveness, attachment, and psychiatric symptoms were completed at 4 time points.
Results
Participants showed increases in all measures of forgiveness and decreases in attachment insecurity and psychiatric symptoms during the forgiveness module and maintained to the 6-week follow-up. These effects were not observed during the prior distress tolerance module. Latent change score modeling showed reductions in anxious attachment mediated the effect of changes in benevolent motivations to forgive and trait forgiveness scores on reductions in psychiatric symptoms.
Conclusions
Effect sizes were similar to meta-analytic findings on (a) forgiveness interventions and (b) reductions in psychiatric symptoms in DBT. Participant feedback suggested elements for further development. A randomized controlled trial is needed.
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