Teaching trainee psychiatrists a Mentalization-Based Treatment approach to personality disorder: effect on attitudes (Lee, Garrett, Whitehurst, Kanter-Bax, Bhui, 2022)

Lee Tennyson, Grove Patrick, Garrett Chris, Whitehurst Thomas, Kanter-Bax Orestis, Bhui Kamaldeep.

BJPsych bulletin 2022;46 (5 ): 298 -302 .

AIMS AND METHOD: To evaluate whether a brief training using a Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) model improves attitudes of trainee psychiatrists working with patients with personality disorder. Trainee psychiatrists (n = 49) completed the Attitudes to Personality Disorder Questionnaire before and after a training consisting of two 3 h lectures on (a) theory of personality disorder and (b) practical skills using an MBT role-play.,

RESULTS: There was a significant improvement on composite scores of attitude, with small to moderate effect size (Wilcoxon signed-rank test Z = 3.961, P < 0.001, r = 0.40).,

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Brief MBT-informed teaching oriented to the clinical situation appears to have a positive effect on attitudes towards people with personality disorder.