Ulleval Personality Project - UPP

Scientific board
Theresa Wilberg:
M.D, PhD, Chief coordinator.
Sigmund Karterud:
M.D, PhD, Professor.
Torill Irion:
B.A, Unit Director.
Øyvind Urnes:
M.D, Consultant Psychiatrist.
Merete Johansen:
M.D, Consultant Psychiatrist.
Geir Pedersen:
M.A, Research fellow.
Benjamin Hummelen:
M.D, Research fellow.
Espen Arnevik:
M.A, Research fellow.
Frida Gullestad:
M.A, Research fellow.
Hanne S. Dahl:
M.A, Research fellow.
Veslemøy Bull-Njaa:
Secretary.

Cooperating organizations
Ullevål University Hospital:
Psychiatric Division, Oslo, Norway.
University of Oslo (UiO):
Institute of psychiatry, Norway.
Prof. Anthony Bateman:
M.D. St. Ann's Hospital and University College, London, England.
Prof. Roel Verheul:
Ph.D. University of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Pat Crittenden:
Ph.D. Miami, U.S.A.
Nuno Torres:
M.A. Research fellow, University of Essex, England.
Prof. Bob Hinshelwood:
University of Essex, England.
Prof. Lars Mehlum:
M.D, PhD. The Suicide Research and Prevention Unit, Oslo, Norway.
Prof. Jon Monsen:
PhD. University of Oslo, Norway.
Per Johan Isdahl:
M.A. Eating disorder unit, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Prof. Finn Skårderud:
M.D. Unit for child and adolescence psychiatry, Oslo, Norway.
Norwegian Institute of group analysis:
Director Thor Kr. Island, M.D. Oslo, Norway.
Vidar Halsteinli:
M.A. SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway.

Ulleval Personality Project (UPP)

Hypotheses to be tested in the study:

A. Compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group are expected to:

1. After 8 months (after having completed day hospital treatment) and after 18 months, show significant improvement with regard to levels of psychosocial functioning, symptoms, interpersonal problems, self-esteem, quality of life, compliance, as well as self-injury, suicide attempts and use of inpatient hospitalisation.
2. After 36 and 72 months still be significantly better with regard to the above-mentioned variables, and also have fewer PD diagnoses, fewer PD criteria, fewer dysfunctional personality traits, improved ability to work with others, improved experience of self-cohesion, better affect integration, less fearful attachment style.

B. Attachment

1. Patients receiving experimental treatment achieve more integrated attachment strategy than patients in the control group.
2. Patients with borderline and avoidant PD have different attachment strategies, i.e. patients with borderline PD is predominantly overly involved and patients with avoidant PD is predominantly rejecting. Both diagnoses are associated with fearful attachment pattern.
3. Patients with borderline PD grow more integrated in their over-involvement, and patients with avoidant PD grow more integrated in their rejection following experimental treatment.
4. Patients in the experimental group achieve a higher level of "reflective functioning" than patients in the control group.

C. Affect awareness

1. Patients with borderline and avoidant PD have different patterns of affect integration. Especially patients with borderline PD will score higher on expressiveness than patients with avoidant PD.
2. Patients receiving experimental treatment achieve more affect integration and affect control than patients in the control group.

D. Eating disorder

1. Patients in the experimental group achieve better eating behaviour and body image than patients in the control group.

E. Impulsive self-injury.

1. Patients in the experimental group achieve better control over impulsive self-injury than patients in the control group.

F. Validity of PD diagnoses based on the LEAD principle:

1. PD diagnoses based on the LEAD principle departs from a small to moderate degree from diagnoses based on the SCID-II interview before treatment.
2. The LEAD principle gives more positive PD criteria, i.e. SCID-II has somewhat of a tendency toward underreporting.

G. Group behaviour

H. Psychometrics

1. Severity Index of Personality Pathology (SIPP) has good psychometric qualities.