BPD Treatment Empirically Supported Treatments for Psychological Disorders By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 22, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Daniel B. Block, MD Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD LinkedIn Twitter Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Tetra Images / Getty Images Empirically supported treatments, otherwise known as evidence-based treatments or evidence-based practices, are treatments and therapies that have research-based medical and scientific evidence showing that they work. How do doctors know that empirically supported treatments work? That's where the research comes in. Empirically supported treatments have been tested in scientifically designed randomized controlled trials. If you're not sure what a randomized controlled trial is, you're not alone. The following explanation can help. What Is a Randomized Clinical Trial? First, it's important to understand that randomized controlled trials are considered the "gold standard" for testing new treatments. Every new treatment submitted for FDA approval must be supported by results from randomized controlled trials demonstrating that it's both safe and effective. For instance, when your doctor prescribes a medication for you here in the United States, it's an empirically supported treatment that the FDA has approved. The words "randomized," "control," and "trial" have specific meanings in terms of testing new medical treatments: Randomized means the participants in the study have been assigned in no particular way to the groups that will be studied. This is done so that the results of the study won't be skewed by the participants' or study investigators' knowledge of how they were chosen. Controlled means that one of the groups studied does not receive the new ("active") treatment being tested. Instead, they receive a "placebo" or "dummy" that looks like the tested medication but doesn't contain its active ingredient. The placebo may be a "sugar pill" or another medication. This study design allows the researchers to reasonably expect that the health effects they observe in the "active" group that they don't observe in the control group resulted from the use of the new treatment. Trial simply means that the treatment is on trial during the randomized controlled trial. If the study results are positive for the treatment's safety and effectiveness, and the results lead to approval of it by the FDA, it's an empirically supported treatment. Empirically Supported Treatments for BPD The current treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD) that are considered empirically supported include Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Schema-Focused Therapy, and Transference-Focused Therapy. Where to Get Additional Information About Empirically Supported Treatments The Society of Clinical Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, maintains a list of psychotherapy treatments that are considered empirically supported. The Society also supports an ongoing discussion within the field of psychology about how best to define and promote the use of empirically supported treatments. The United States Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP), another list of empirically supported treatments. The Best Online Therapy Programs We've tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 3 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Umscheid C, Margolis D, Grossman C. Key concepts of clinical trials: a narrative review. Postgrad Med. 2011;123(5):194-204. doi:10.3810%2Fpgm.2011.09.2475 Temes C, Zanarini M. Recent developments in psychosocial interventions for borderline personality disorder. F1000Res. 2019;8. doi:10.12688%2Ff1000research.18561.1 Society of Clinical Psychology. Treatments. Additional Reading MedicalNewsToday.com. MacGill M (2016). What Is a Randomized Controlled Trial in Medical Research? Speak to a Therapist for BPD Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.