Need of support for significant others to persons with borderline personality disorder-A Swedish focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Being a significant other (SO) to a person with borderline personality disorder (BPD) affect their health. High incidence of substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, stress, fear, anxiety, depression, family burden and grief are common. Some specific therapies for BPD, have included support to SOs, however resources are scarce and to participate in the support it assumes that the person with BPD is included in these therapies. Although the SO support has been shown to be helpful, they all have a similar structure, and only a small exclusive group of SOs have access to the support. AIM: The aim was to describe experiences and need of support for significant others to persons with borderline personality disorder from the perspective of themselves and of health care workers. METHODS: Data was collected via two focus groups. One with five SOs to persons with BPD, one with five health care workers. Two interview sessions in each group were conducted and data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The study was approved by the research ethics committee of Lund (2016-1026). RESULTS: The results revealed four themes; not being seen by health care professionals creates hopelessness, being seen by healthcare professionals creates trust, experience of support - helpful or shameful and the step from loosely structured support to a structured support group. Both groups expressed a need for further support as a complement to already existing support. CONCLUSIONS: The need of support is extensive. The results suggest a professional coordinator intended for SOs and peer support groups not linked to a particular psychiatric treatment yet offering support in a structured way. Further studies examining these complements to existing support, is therefore recommended.

Family skills training in dialectical behaviour therapy: the experience of the significant others.

AIM: The aim was to describe significant others' experiences of dialectical behaviour therapy-family skills training (DBT-FST), their life situation before and after DBT-FST, and measurement of their levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. METHODS: The study had a descriptive mixed method design. Data were collected with free text questionnaires (n=44), group interviews (n=53) and the HAD scale (n=52) and analysed by qualitative content analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The results show that life before DBT-FST was a struggle. DBT-FST gave hope for the future and provided strategies, helpful in daily life. For the subgroup without symptoms of anxiety and depression before DBT-FST, anxiety increased significantly. For the subgroup with symptoms of anxiety and depression the symptoms decreased significantly. This indicates, despite increased anxiety for one group, that DBT-FST is a beneficial intervention and most beneficial for those with the highest anxiety- and depressive symptoms.

Experiences by patients and health professionals of a multidisciplinary intervention for long-term orofacial pain.

The aim of the present study was to describe patients' and health professionals' experiences of a multidisciplinary stress-focused clinical evaluation with prolonged engagement as an intervention for patients with long-term orofacial pain. Data in the patient part of this study were collected by free-text questionnaires using open-ended questions. Data were collected by group interview in the part of the study concerning health professionals. All data were analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. Data from patients revealed three categories for the intervention, ie, "helpful for most and crucial for some", "being listened to, respected and validated", and "gives important coping strategies". The results showed that a vast majority of patients described themselves as having been helped by the intervention. Some patients reported that meeting with the orofacial pain consultant team was crucial to the future course of their lives. Most patients described still having residual pain and symptoms, and only a few described their pain as being fully remitted. However, because of the intervention, the patients reported being able to adopt more constructive coping strategies. They also described their perception of the pain as being different, in that it was not so frightening once they had been given a model with which to understand it. Data from the health professionals revealed similar categories. Concordance between the patients' and health professionals' experiences was striking. In their descriptions, the health professionals and patients underscored the same components as being effective, with understanding, respect, and validation being the most important. The multidisciplinary approach was highlighted as being key to success by both the patients and health professionals.

A life tiptoeing: being a significant other to persons with borderline personality disorder.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe significant others' experiences of living close to a person with borderline personality disorder and their experience of encounter with psychiatric care. METHODS: Data were collected by free-text questionnaires and group interviews and were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results revealed four categories: a life tiptoeing; powerlessness, guilt, and lifelong grief; feeling left out and abandoned; and lost trust. The first two categories describe the experience of living close to a person with BPD, and the last two categories describe encounter with psychiatric care.

To tame a volcano: patients with borderline personality disorder and their perceptions of suffering.

The aim of the study was to investigate life situations, suffering, and perceptions of encounter with psychiatric care among 10 patients with borderline personality disorder. The results are based on a hermeneutic interpretation of narrative interviews in addition to biographical material (diary excerpts and poems). The interpretation revealed three comprehensive theme areas: life on the edge , the struggle for health and dignity-a balance act on a slack wire over a volcano , and the good and the bad act of psychiatric care in the drama of suffering . These theme areas form a movement back and forth-from despair and unendurable suffering to struggle for health and dignity and a life worth living. Common beliefs regarding these patients among personnel and implications for psychiatric care are discussed in relation to the results.

Treatment of suicidal and deliberate self-harming patients with borderline personality disorder using dialectical behavioral therapy: the patients' and the therapists' perceptions.

The aim was to investigate patients and therapists perception of receiving and giving dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). Ten deliberate self-harm patients with borderline personality disorder and four DBT-therapists were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The patients unanimously regard the DBT-therapy as life saving and something that has given them a bearable life situation. The patients and the therapists are concordant on the effective components of the therapy: the understanding, respect, and confirmation in combination with the cognitive and behavioral skills. The experienced effectiveness of DBT is contrasted by the patient's pronouncedly negative experiences from psychiatric care before entering DBT.