Schema Focused Therapy in Forensic Settings: Theoretical Model and Recommendations for Best Clinical Practice

Abstract

Until recently few empirically supported treatments for patients with personality disorders were available. Schema Focused Therapy (SFT) has recently shown efficacy in (non-forensic) outpatients with Borderline Personality Disorder, raising the question if it may also be effective in forensic PD patients. For the past two years, we have been collaborating with Dutch forensic hospitals to adapt the SFT approach to meet the challenges posed by this population. In this article, we present our forensic modification of the SFT theoretical model, and make recommendations for the implementation of SFT in forensic clinical practice.