Exploring mentalization-based psychoeducation groups for people with borderline personality disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a distressing difficulty prevalent within UK secondary-care settings. Previous qualitative studies have examined individual experiences of long term Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) groups for people with BPD. However, the psychoeducational component of MBT has not yet been researched coherently.

The current study explored lived experiences of manualised MBT-psychoeducation groups for people with BPD within NHS secondary care settings. Eight participants took part in interviews about their recent participation in these groups. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to interpret individual meaning-making of these experiences. While some accounts were characterised by contradictions, MBT-psychoeducation was generally viewed as a challenging but predominantly beneficial experience. Three main themes emerged, comprising eight sub-themes. These highlighted individuals’ attempts to manage complex group processes, strategies for personalising knowledge, and the power and fear of increased self-reflection. Participant’s felt the group had impacted their sense of self, their understanding of others and their impulsivity, particularly within interpersonal relationships. Research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. Particular importance is given to the implications of some individual’s perceived need for additional support or coping, the desire for further MBT group therapy and the possibility that these findings support propositions that the groups provide a useful mechanism to stimulate mentalizing.