Search results for ‘Subject term:"personality disorders"’ Sort:
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Fostering validated responses in families
- Authors:
- FRUZZETTI Alan E., SHENK Chad
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 6(1/2), 2008, pp.215-227.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Having a member with borderline personality disorder has a significant impact on family functioning, while family interactions can play a role in the development (or prevention), maintenance (or remediation) and treatment of the disorder. This paper reviews a transactional model for the development and maintenance of BPD, with implications for its treatment, particularly from the perspective of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). It also describes a sub-set of DBT interventions developed specifically for work with couples and families to transform a destructive ‘inaccurate expression/validation cycle’ into a constructive ‘accurate expression/validation cycle’. A case illustration highlights the usefulness and importance of accurate expression in eliciting validation, and the subsequent effects of validation on emotional regulation and family satisfaction. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Understanding and engaging families: an education, skills and support program for relatives impacted by borderline personality disorder
- Authors:
- HOFFMAN Perry D., FRUZZETTI Alan E., BUTEAU Ellie
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health, 16(1), February 2007, pp.69-82.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Few methodologically sound studies have been conducted to facilitate the understanding of relationships in families with a member suffering from severe personality disorders. Because of severity, symptomatology, and high rates of co-occurring disorders, borderline personality disorder (BPD) particularly affects family members and others in their social environment. However, there are few interventions available to address the needs of these family members. The aim was to report on a replication and extension study of Family Connections (FC), a 12-week community-based BPD education program for family members. FC participants (N = 55) were assessed pre, post and at 3-month post program follow-up on: (i) levels of change in family well-being outcomes: burden, grief and empowerment; and (ii) differences between male and female participants in these outcomes. Findings from the original FC study were replicated and extended: Participants showed significant improvements on all well-being variables, including significant reductions in depression. Outcomes for male vs. female participants were comparable at program completion except for grief, on which women remained higher than men despite significant improvements for both. BPD family members experience significant distress but benefited from this semi-structured group program led by family members. Findings support the use of the FC program.