The student nurse and the borderline patient

Destigmatizing Borderline Personality Disorder: A Call to Action for Psychological Science

Despite recognition that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one of the most stigmatized psychological disorders, destigmatization efforts have thus far focused on the views and actions of clinicians and the general public, neglecting the critical role that psychological science plays in perpetuating or mitigating stigma. This article was catalyzed by recent concerns about how research and editorial processes propagate stigma and thereby fail people with BPD and the scientists who study BPD. We provide a brief overview of the BPD diagnosis and its history. We then review how BPD has been stigmatized in psychological science, the gendered nature of BPD stigma, and the consequences of this stigmatization. Finally, we offer specific recommendations for researchers, reviewers, and editors who wish to use science to advance our understanding of BPD without perpetuating pejorative views of the disorder. These recommendations constitute a call to action to use psychological science in the service of the public good.

The role of the therapist's critical parent

The need for nurse therapists to be aware of their own feelings, beliefs, and attitudes is all-important if treatment is to be effective. In this paper, the author uses the concept of the therapist's Critical Parent (from Berne's 1961 Transactional Analysis model) to explore countertransference reactions. Clinical examples from the author's professional experience are employed to demonstrate the interplay of ego states between therapist and client and how understanding of the effect of the therapist's Critical parent can enhance his or her ability to intervene effectively.