The Research Group for Personality Psychiatry is a cross regional collaboration of researchers and clinicians with a special focus on personality disorders (PD).
Personality disorder (PD) – by definition, maladaptive patterns of emotionality, cognition, and behaviors – can be dimensionally conceptualized within domains of self and interpersonal personality functioning. The broad concept of mentalization includes aspects of both domains. High priority basic research includes mapping the different aspects of personality functioning as well as validating, refining and developing feasible assessment methods.
Effective treatments are mainly documented for borderline PD. In collaboration with the Norwegian Network for Personality Disorders, the research group is working to expand knowledge on clinical and economic utility of PD treatments within mental health and addiction services, further understanding of PD treatment processes and impacts of different personality functioning and comorbidity, such as PTSD and substance use.
Innovative research areas bridging different disciplines include genetic vulnerability, adolescent PD, treatment for antisocial PD, PD and chronic pain conditions, occupational habilitation, and health service collaborations addressing complex PD conditions with severe self-harm and other mental and physical illness comorbidity.
Our research aims to
- Increase knowledge on personality disorders
- Improve accuracy of assessment and diagnoses
-
Improve quality of treatment
Read more about personality disorders here (text in Norwegian)
Our research projects focus on
- Core aspects of personality disorder, comorbidity and genetics
- Personality disorder classification and assessment
- Treatment and habilitation, effects, clinical utility, and costs
Read more about our research projects here
We collaborate with
- Clinicians
- People with lived experience
- Researchers and research environments
Read more about our collaborations and clinical networks here
Current highlights
Publications
- Rosalie Broekhof, R., Nordahl, H. M., Eikenæs, I. U-M., & Selvik, S. G. (2024). Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Associated With Personality Disorder: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study. Journal of Personality DisordersVol. 38, 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi.2024.38.1.19
- Flaaten, E., Langfeldt, M. & Morken, K. T. E. (2024). Antisocial personality disorder and therapeutic pessimism – how can mentalization-based treatment contribute to an increased therapeutic optimism among health professionals? Frontiers in Psychology, 1-13. DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1320405
- Kvarstein, E. H., Frøyhaug, M., Pettersen, M., Carlsen, S., Ekberg, D. G. A., Fjermestad-Noll, J., Ulvestad, D. A., Gikling, E. L., Hjermann, E., Lindberget, K., Omvik, S., Eikenæs, I. U-M., Hummelen, B., Morken, K. T. E., Wilberg, T., & Pedersen, G. A. F. (2023). Improvement of Personality Functioning among People treated within Personality Disorder Mental Health Services. A Longitudinal, Observational Study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1163347
- Sveen, C. A., Pedersen, G., Ulvestad, D. A., Zahl, K. E., Wilberg, T., & Kvarstein, E. H. (2023). Societal costs of personality disorders: A cross‐sectional multicenter study of treatment‐seeking patients in mental health services in Norway. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1-18. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23504
- Wilberg, T., Pedersen, G., Bremer, K., Johansen, M. S., & Kvarstein, E. H. (2023). Combined group and individual therapy for patients with avoidant personality disorder - A pilot study. Frontiers in Psychiatry.14:1181686. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181686
- Paap, M. C. S., Pedersen, G., Kvarstein, E. H., & Hummelen, B. (2023). Evaluating the Construct Validity of the Norwegian Version of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale - Brief Form 2.0 in A Large Clinical Sample. Journal of Personality Assessment. DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2023.2182694
- Stänicke, Line Indrevoll; Kurseth, Pauline & Bekkhus, Mona (2023). “Everything turned upside down” – a thematic analysis of adolescents’ experiences of everyday life during COVID-19 restrictions. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. ISSN 1403-4948. doi: 10.1177/14034948231152272.
Research networks
Research networks aim to bring together researchers, stimulate more research and increase research collaboration.
- TREATment: The research group is a part of this network of researchers within the University of Oslo which focuses on personalized treatment for mental health disorders. Coordinator: Theresa Wilberg.
- Research Network for Avoidant Personality Disorder. Contact: Theresa Wilberg
- Nordic AMPD (Alternative Model Personality Disorders). Contact in Norway: Benjamin Hummelen
- Extreme challenges - National project group: Extreme self-harming behaviors. Contact: Elfrida Hartveit Kvarstein
