Working Memory and Borderline Personality Disorder: The Effectiveness of Working Memory Training with Emotional Stimulation on Improving Self-Injury Behaviors among Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder

Authors
Nassim Zakibakhsh Mohammadi 1
Sajjad Basharpoor 2
Mohammad Narimani 2
Moslem Kord 3
1 MA in Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil. Iran.
2 University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil. Iran.
3 Phd in Cognitive Science, Research Center of Cognitive Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of working memory training with emotional stimulation on self-injury behaviors of people with borderline personality disorder. The method of current study was semi-experimental and its design was pre-test and post-test with a control group. All the students of University of Mohaghegh Ardebili with borderline personality disorder in the 2017-2018 academic year comprised the population of this study. Forty people were selected by the screening method via the Boderline Traits Scale (STB) and the Structured Clinical Interview for Mental Disorders (SCID-II) and they were assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group attended working memory training with emotional stimulation for 10 sessions of 30 to 45 minutes for 10 days, i.e. during two weeks every day (except Thursdays and Fridays), while the control group did not receive such training. The Sansone and Wiederman Self-Harm Inventory (SHI) questionnaire was used to collect information for both pre-test and post-test stages. Data were analyzed using a statistical method of single variable covariance analysis. The results showed that the mean self-injury scores of the subjects in the experimental group were significantly reduced compared to the control group in the post-test stage. According to the present study, it could be suggested that working memory training with emotional stimulation via strengthening cognitive control is effective for reducing impulsive behaviors such as self-injury.
Keywords
Borderline personality Disorder
Emotional Working Memroy Training
self-injury
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