Experiences of family members who have a relative diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Marcia L Kay, Marie Poggenpoel, Chris P Myburgh and 1 others
PMID 30326706WHAT IT FOUND
Family members of people with borderline personality disorder described feeling overwhelmed by unpredictable crises, financial strain, and stigma.
They lacked knowledge on how to cope or support their relative, leading to disempowerment and a strong desire for professional education and community support.
Key findings
01Family members experienced significant distress due to their relative's emotional instability, impulsive behaviors, and the resulting chaos in the home environment.
02Participants reported feeling judged by extended family and society, leading to isolation, shame, and reluctance to seek social support.
03Ineffective coping was linked to a lack of knowledge about borderline personality disorder and limited access to supportive health services.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a single psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, so findings may not be applicable to family members of patients managed in community settings or other regions. The sample size was small (8 participants), which limits the transferability of the findings. All participants were English-speaking, potentially excluding the experiences of non-English speaking families.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the reported distress and lack of coping skills as evidence of a specific treatment failure or a direct causal link between the patient's behavior and family pathology. The study describes the subjective experiences of a small group of family members in a hospital setting and does not measure clinical outcomes or the efficacy of any intervention.