Psychotherapy of borderline patients: the influence of theory on technique

Although the treatment of borderline patients has attracted increased attention, there is little agreement on the basic nature of the disorder or the proper techniques for its treatment by analytically oriented psychotherapy. The author states that treatment based on the idea that the borderline patient achieves therapeutic gains by raging against an accepting therapist for a prolonged period of time is not so effective as treatment based on the recognition of specific ego defects as the core pathology. He suggests that the therapist be active in the treatment of borderline patients and not permit gross and unproductive distortions of the therapeutic relationship.