Home-Based tDCS for Depression in BPD

Feasibility and Acceptability of Home-Based tDCS

* Recruitment Rate: Percentage of eligible patients agreeing to participate. * Adherence Rate: Over 75% of participants completed at least 12 of the 14 tDCS sessions scheduled * Participant Satisfaction: Assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at V5. * Tolerability: The questionnaire of sensations related to transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) is administered after each tDCS stimulation session to assess tolerability and monitor potential adverse effects. This questionnaire evaluates common side effects, including itching, tingling, burning sensations, headache, discomfort, and dizziness. One time per week, the questionnaire will add a question on suicidal ideation. We will use the cumulative percentage of side effects for all sessions (one week of stimulation). * Acceptability of psychoeducation: Adherence Rate: Percentage of patients completing 90% of psychoeducation (at least 9 videos) according to the Moodle online course

Borderline Symptom List (BSL-23)

The BSL-23 is a 23-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the severity of BPD symptoms over the past week (higher scores indicate more severe symptoms). This shortened version of the BSL-95 is widely used for routine monitoring of BPD. The assessment takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The BSL-23 demonstrates excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of roughly .94 for the French version.

Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS)

Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS): The QIDS is a 16-item self-report questionnaire based on DSM-IV criteria for major depression. It assesses symptom severity over the past 7 days (higher is more severe) and takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The assessment has good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.69 to 0.89 (75). It has been translated into French.

Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index (BPDSI)

The BPDSI is a 70-item semi-structured interview designed to assess the frequency and severity of BPD symptoms over the past three months. It captures critical symptoms and behaviours associated with BPD, such as self-harm, emotional dysregulation, and interpersonal conflicts. The interview takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete. The BPDSI yields highly reliable (ICC = .93) and internally consistent (Cronbach's α = .85) scores. The BPDSI has been translated into French and used in clinical research, although its psychometric properties have not yet been validated for the French version.

Personality Disorder Severity Scale (PDS-ICD-11)

The PDS-ICD-11 is a clinician-rated instrument designed to assess the severity of personality disorder features by the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11). This scale evaluates impairments in self-functioning (identity and self-direction) and interpersonal functioning (empathy and intimacy), the core components of personality pathology defined by the ICD-11 framework. The PDS-ICD-11 provides a dimensional assessment, categorizing severity into five levels: no personality dysfunction, personality difficulty, mild personality disorder, moderate personality disorder, and severe personality disorder. This nuanced approach allows for a standardized and comprehensive evaluation of personality dysfunction, facilitating both diagnosis and the monitoring of treatment outcomes. A version has been translated into French.