Lancet Psychiatry

Digital therapeutic shows benefit in borderline personality disorder

May 2, 2025

Study details: The EPADIP-BPD study, conducted in Germany, evaluated the effectiveness of priovi, a digital therapeutic intervention for borderline personality disorder (BPD). This pragmatic, assessor-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial included 580 participants (90% women; median age, 29 years) diagnosed with BPD according to DSM criteria. Participants were divided into two groups: the intervention group received priovi alongside usual care, while the control group received standard self-help materials. The primary outcome was the change in BPD symptoms measured by the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23) at 3 months.

Results: An intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed models showed a significant time by treatment interaction favoring the intervention group at 3 months (p = 0.0005, d = 0.24). The intervention group had significantly fewer suicide attempts (n = 7) compared with the control group (n = 21; incidence rate ratio 0.34, p = 0.0081), with no differences in other serious adverse events.

Clinical impact: The significant reduction in BPD symptoms and suicide attempts highlights the potential of digital interventions to bridge the treatment gap in BPD care. These findings suggest that integrating digital therapeutics into standard care could enhance treatment outcomes for patients with BPD.

Source:

Assmann N, et al. (2025, May). Lancet Psychiatry. A digital therapeutic for people with borderline personality disorder in Germany (EPADIP-BPD): a pragmatic, assessor-blind, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40245074/