Recovery in people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder

  • Sara Siddiqui

Student thesis: Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Aims. Understandings of recovery in borderline personality disorder are limited. Research has suggested that people with borderline personality disorder may not identify with some general mental health recovery principals. It is also not clear if there are differences in perceptions of recovery between people with borderline personality disorder and staff members. The study set out to explore and understand perceptions of recovery in borderline personality disorder and identify which factors are most important. Design and Method. A Q methodology design was used, incorporating 58 statements on recovery that participants were required to sort, in order of how important they felt they were to recovery. An opportunity sample (N= 22) was recruited, consisting of 6 people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and 16 staff members, from various services within the North West of England. Results. Principal component factor analysis with a varimax rotation revealed three factors, representing distinct viewpoints from 19 participants. The dominant viewpoint placed importance on reducing features and symptoms specific to borderline personality disorder. The second viewpoint was concerned with universal, humanistic recovery principals and the third viewpoint saw relationships, both with the self and with others as most important to recovery. Conclusions. Views on recovery in personality disorder are similar to general mental health recovery principals but there also may be recovery views which are more specific to the borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Areas for further research include the extent to which recovery is a transdiagnostic concept and the extent to which recovery values are influenced by therapy models and service requirements.
Date of Award31 Dec 2014
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • The University of Manchester
SupervisorKatherine Berry (Supervisor) & John Fox (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • recovery, borderline personality disorder, staff views, Q methodology

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