Exploring staff perceptions of the utility of clinician connections when working with emotionally dysregulated clients

Experiences of crisis care among service users with complex emotional needs or a diagnosis of 'personality disorder', and other stakeholders: systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature

BACKGROUND

Mental health crises are common in people with complex emotional needs (our preferred working term for people diagnosed with a 'personality disorder'), yet this population is often dissatisfied with the crisis care they receive. Exploring their experiences and views on what could be improved, and those of carers and healthcare staff, is key to developing better services.

AIMS

We aimed to synthesise the relevant qualitative literature.

METHOD

Five databases were searched. Eligible studies included service users with a diagnosis of personality disorder and their carers or relevant staff, focused on crisis responses and used a qualitative design. Data were analysed with thematic synthesis.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included, most focusing on emergency departments. Four meta-themes emerged: (a) acceptance and rejection when presenting to crisis care: limited options and lack of involvement of carers; (b) interpersonal processes: importance of the therapeutic relationship and establishing a framework for treatment; (c) managing recovery from a crisis: clear recovery plan and negotiating collaboration; and (d) equipping and supporting staff: training and emotional support.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that emergency departments have major limitations as settings to provide crisis care for people with complex emotional needs, but there is a lack of research exploring alternatives. The quality of the therapeutic relationship was central to how care was experienced, with collaborative and optimistic staff highly valued. Staff reported feeling poorly supported in responding to the needs of this population. Research looking at experiences of a range of care options and how to improve these is needed.

Dialectical behaviour therapy: Implementation of an evidence-based intervention for borderline personality disorder in public health systems

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is an intervention with demonstrated efficacy and effectiveness for individuals with borderline personality disorder. In recent years, research has shifted focus to the evaluation of DBT implementation in routine clinical settings. In this article, we consider the empirical evidence that guides clinicians and managers in health services with local implementation of DBT in community settings. Research on this topic has most recently advanced to the evaluation of coordinated implementation efforts. Although coordinated implementation has merit, it does not mitigate all implementation challenges. Consideration of implementation facilitators and barriers in DBT can also be applied to other evidence-based interventions for BPD and for adaptations for individuals with early-stage symptomatology. Ongoing research and evaluation in these areas is recommended.

Use of Acute Psychiatric Hospitalisation: A Study of the Factors Influencing Decisions to Arrange Acute Admission to Inpatient Mental Health Facilities

Background: Human decision-making involves a complex interplay of intra- and inter-personal factors. The decisions clinicians make in practise are subject to a wide range of influences. Admission to a psychiatric hospital is a major clinical intervention, but the decision-making processes involved in admissions remain unclear. Aims: To delineate the range of factors influencing clinicians' decisions to arrange acute psychiatric admissions. Methods: We undertook six focus groups with teams centrally involved in decisions to admit patients to hospital (crisis resolution home treatment, liaison psychiatry, approved mental health practitioners and consultant psychiatrists). The data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Our analysis of the data show a complex range of factors influencing decision-making that were categorised as those related to: (i) clinical and risk factors; (ii) fear/threat factors; (iii) interpersonal dynamics; (iv) contextual factors. Conclusions: Decisions to arrange acute admission to hospital are not just based on an appraisal of clinical and risk-related information. Emotional, interpersonal and contextual factors are also critical in decision-making. Delineating the breadth of factors that bear on clinical decision-making can inform approaches to (i) clinical decision-making research, (ii) the training and supervision of clinicians, and (iii) service delivery models.