Mental health professionals' attitudes toward borderline personality disorder and their experiences of co-produced dialectical behaviour therapy training

Background: Clients experiencing severe emotional dysregulation present significant challenges for mental health professionals (MHPs). This client group often face stigma and pejorative attitudes in mental health settings. MHPs acknowledge they need more training and education to effectively support individuals with emotion dysregulation. Training programmes like dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) can improve professional attitudes and clinical approaches. Integrating personal recovery stories into training through experts by experience (EBE) can deepen understanding of the emotional challenges and recovery journeys of those with experiencing emotion dysregulation. This article introduces a pioneering co-produced DBT training programme and explores MHPs' views on this collaborative approach. Method: Six MHPs participated in individual semi-structured interviews. MHPs were asked about their perceptions of completing introductory modules one and two of a co-produced DBT training and its impact on both theoretical and practical learning. A pluralistic qualitative method was used, and responses were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA). Results: In-depth analysis of the qualitative data generated three main themes: 1) EBE as fuelling hope and innovation in therapy; 2) translators of wisdom; and 3) challenging conventions. EBE inclusion was viewed as supporting the integration of theory and practice, providing motivation and enthusiasm, and as a novel approach to learning. Conclusion: Findings emphasise the potential value of a more collaborative mental health system approach for educational training through co-production. This novel training has great potential to provide insight into the lived experience of clients with severe emotion and behaviour dysregulation and empower MHPs to work more effectively with this population.

Grantor dc:publisher

University College Cork

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• McLaughlin, Miriam

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Dempsey, Maria
• Murphy, Mike
• Kells, Mary

• Borderline personality disorder
• Emotion dysregulation
• Experts by experience
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Mental health professionals

Statement dc:rights

• © 2024, Miriam McLaughlin.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10468/16424

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:cora.ucc.ie:10468/16424