VIEWS OF THE BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER DIAGNOSIS ‘Service-Users’ and Professionals’ Views of the Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnosis: A Q-methodological Study’

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a contentious diagnosis due in part to the abstract nature of personality, as well as the controversies surrounding the current classification systems. Individuals with this diagnosis make up a significant proportion of mental health services, but what the label means to people is unclear.
The first paper is a literature review about recovery from BPD, distinct from the process of remission. Ten papers were included, and the range of themes synthesised into an overview about recovery. The second, empirical, paper examined service-users’ and professionals’ perspectives of the BPD diagnosis. Q methodology was selected to gather an appreciation and objective understanding of subjective beliefs about recovery, treatment and stigma. This will identify the key factors underpinning these perspectives. The following factors were found: ‘Stigma, Internalisation and Social Construction’; ‘Essentialism, Acceptance and Compassion’; and, ‘Change, Externalisation and Shared Understandings.’
The personal meanings attributed to the BPD diagnosis are important and, to respect the subjectivity and idiosyncrasies of people who may meet the criteria for this diagnosis, should be explored before the diagnosis is made.
The third paper is a reflective piece about the overall research process.