Internal Family Systems therapy for borderline personality disorder

Effectiveness of Internal Family Systems Therapy in Improving Mental Health in Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder

This pilot will try Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy to see if it reduces symptoms in people with borderline personality disorder who can participate from Ontario.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 15 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Tiny, Ontario)
• Trial ID: NCT07342907 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot interventional study will deliver up to 50 individual IFS therapy sessions over about 12–15 months to 15 participants with clinician-confirmed borderline personality disorder. The primary outcome is change in BPD symptom severity from baseline to post-treatment, with secondary measures including emotion dysregulation, shame, self-compassion, interpersonal functioning, mood, addictive behaviors, and overall well-being. The study will also track feasibility outcomes (recruitment, retention, adherence), acceptability, and safety, and excludes people with current manic or psychotic symptoms, severe substance dependence, cognitive impairment, or concurrent psychotherapy. Sessions can be provided virtually across Ontario and participants must be English-fluent and able to commit to the full course of therapy and assessments.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Ontario residents with a confirmed diagnosis of borderline personality disorder who are fluent in English, can commit to up to 50 sessions over 12–15 months, and are not currently receiving other psychotherapy.

Not a fit: People with current manic or psychotic symptoms, severe substance dependence, significant cognitive or neurological impairment, those unable to commit to the time or cost, or those living outside Ontario are unlikely to be eligible or benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, IFS could provide an additional psychotherapy option that reduces BPD symptoms, improves emotion regulation and self-compassion, and potentially lowers self-harm and healthcare use.

How similar studies have performed: This is the first trial of IFS specifically for BPD, though other structured psychotherapies like dialectical behavior therapy, mentalization-based therapy, and schema therapy have shown benefits for BPD.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Resident of Ontario, Canada;
* Sufficient fluency in English to provide informed consent, participate in therapy sessions, and complete self-reported assessments;
* Diagnosis of borderline personality disorder confirmed by a healthcare professional authorized to establish such a diagnosis in Ontario;
* Willingness and ability (including financial means) to participate in the 50-session, 12-15-month intervention and the study assessments;
* Capacity and willingness to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current manic or psychotic symptoms regardless of diagnosis;
* Substance dependence severe enough to interfere with meaningful level of engagement in the study intervention.
* Cognitive impairment or neurological disorders that would preclude informed consent or meaningful participation in the study intervention.
* Concurrent participation in any another form of psychotherapy.

Where this trial is running

Tiny, Ontario

• Provincewide across Ontario (intervention can be delivered virtually) — Tiny, Ontario, Canada (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Barna Konkoly-Thege, PhD — Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
• Study coordinator: Barna Konkoly-Thege, PhD

Conditions Borderline Personality Disorder; borderline personality disorder; psychotherapy; effectiveness; internal family systems therapy