The Effectiveness of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy on Enhancing Self-Awareness and Emotion Regulation in Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the most severe and complex personality disorders, characterized by emotional instability, impaired self-awareness, and serious interpersonal difficulties. Individuals with BPD often experience significant challenges in regulating emotions and maintaining a stable sense of self. Therefore, investigating the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches can play an essential role in improving the quality of life for these patients. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of psychoanalytic psychotherapy in improving self-awareness and emotion regulation among individuals diagnosed with BPD. This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The statistical population consisted of all individuals diagnosed with BPD who referred to psychotherapy centers in Tehran between April and June ۲۰۲۵. Among them, ۳۰ participants were identified using the Borderline Personality Disorder Screening Questionnaire, purposefully selected, and randomly assigned to experimental (n=۱۵) and control (n=۱۵) groups. Research instruments included the Feeney Self-Awareness Questionnaire and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), both of which have demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability in Iranian samples. The experimental group received ۱۲ weekly sessions of ۹۰-minute psychoanalytic psychotherapy, while the control group did not receive any intervention during this period. Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA). Findings indicated that psychoanalytic psychotherapy had a significant effect on enhancing self-awareness and improving emotion regulation in individuals with BPD (p < ۰.۰۵). In other words, psychoanalytic interventions enhanced participants’ ability to understand their own emotions and thoughts, as well as their skills in regulating and managing emotional experiences. The results suggest that psychoanalytic psychotherapy can be considered an effective approach for treating BPD and improving core components such as self-awareness and emotional regulation. These findings hold practical implications for psychologists, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals seeking to optimize therapeutic interventions for this population.

کلیدواژه ها:

Borderline Personality Disorder ، Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy ، Self-Awareness ، Emotion Regulation ، Psychotherapeutic Intervention