A Social Perspective on Personality Disorder; Enhancing Responsibility and Resilience

The presentation will suggest the value of a social perspective on personality disorder both for those diagnosed and mental health professionals alike. A rationale will be offered, suggesting a relationship between particular forms of social experience and certain antecedents for the development of the disorder in adolescence/early adulthood. Outlining the perspective’s key components the presentation will propose that a social perspective can help focus attention on the content of distress and the experience of people living with personality disorder. Suggesting therefore that the perspective can enhance the efficacy of modern, multidisciplinary mental health services in this area to encourage responsibility and resilience in both services users and mental health professionals. The presentation will conclude with some recommendations, from a social perspective, for practice and service organization to help ensure the efficacy of interventions and outcomes for people living with personality disorder.