Virginia Tech
The Lived Experience of Couples Navigating Borderline Personality Disorder: A Dyadic Interpretative Phenomenological Study
Abstract
dc:description.abstractBorderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with distress in and dissolution of romantic relationships. BPD is a relational disorder. The complex interaction between BPD and romantic relationships continues to warrant further attention, as decreased BPD symptoms are associated with increased relational effectiveness. The current study was one of the first qualitative studies that used dyadic data to examine the experience and impact of BPD on couples' relationships. Semi-structured conjoint interviews were conducted with couples with a partner with BPD (N = 10) using interpretative phenomenology. This study provides a rich understanding of the experiences of couples with BPD by exploring not only how BPD impacts couples' romantic relationships, but how couples cope with BPD. Although BPD was experienced as a relational stressor, couples utilized resources to buffer against the impact of BPD in their relationship. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data that illustrate the couple experience of navigating BPD: (a) the individual lived experience of BPD, (b) the shared experience of BPD as a relational stressor, and (c) adaptive dyadic coping in the context of BPD. Dyadic coping and shared externalization emerged as key factors in adaptive couple functioning in the context of BPD. The lived experiences of these couples provide therapists and other couples with an increased understanding of the resources and skills that support successful dyadic coping with BPD.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Science
- Level thesis:degree_level
- masters
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Human Development
- Department dc:contributor.department
- Adult Learning and Human Resource Development
- Grantor dc:publisher
- Virginia Tech
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2022
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- O'Leary, Abigail Margaret
- Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
-
- Landers, Ashley Lace
- Jackson, Jeffrey Brown
- Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember
-
- Ferrill, Jasmine
Subjects
dc:subject × 4Rights
dc:rights- Statement dc:rights
-
- In Copyright
- Licence dc:rights.uri
- Language dc:language.iso
- en
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Dc Identifier Other
- vt_gsexam:34487
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110394