[Psychotherapists' attitudes towards the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder].

A questionnaire was sent to a representative sample of 300 psychotherapists working in Munich, consisting of a short case report on a prototypical BPD patient, 21 questions on sociodemographic data and suggestions on the treatment of BPD. 58% replied to the questionnaire. 22% of the therapists stated not to treat BPD patients on principle. 66% declared not to offer therapy to new patients, due to being booked out. Specific therapeutic approaches for the treatment of BPD were recommended by 51%, but only offered by 3%. Psychotherapists in private practice often experience anxiety and show some prejudice towards the treatment of patients with BPD. The introduction of specialized treatment programs like DBT and TFP has led to a high degree of publicity and acceptance, but the number of trained therapists is still low even in a city like Munich. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.New York.