Psychotherapist personality characteristics and the perception of self and patients in the treatment of borderline personality disorder

The influence of certain personality characteristics (tendency to depressive experiences, personal boundary preferences) on psychotherapist reaction to patients with borderline personality disorder was assessed by semantic differential ratings in an analogue study. Vignettes presented one of two patients enacting the Rewarding and Withdrawing object relations unit in two separate therapy sessions. Therapists higher on anaclitic depressive and fusion tendencies evaluated themselves less positively than other therapists (p < .01) in the Withdrawing condition. They evaluated the patient less positively regardless of condition (p < .05). High boundary therapists evaluated patients more positively (p < .05) in the Withdrawing condition. They evaluated themselves more positively regardless of condition (p < .05) and showed less tendency to devalue self and patient with the lower functioning borderline patient.