Transference focused psychotherapy: Development of a psychodynamic treatment for severe personality disorders

The Borderline Psychotherapy Research Project at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, headed by Drs Otto Kernberg and John Clarkin has developed and tested a treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder called Transference Focused Psychotherapy. The theory, development and empirical research for the treatment are discussed. A pre-post study and a comparison to treatment as usual both showed promising results. The structure of the randomized controlled trial that is currently underway is also discussed.