Investigating the effectiveness of emotion regulation skills groups and service user perspectives

Background and aims: People with emotional intensity difficulties experience difficulties regulating their emotions without meeting the threshold for a borderline personality disorder diagnosis. Managing group relationships with a population that experience emotion dysregulation has been linked to chaotic group environments. This study explored the experiences of people living with emotional intensity difficulties and their relationship to other group members and facilitators within STEPPS-EI. It also looked at any other meaning the group may have and the impact on people’s existing relationships.

Design and method: Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was utilised to explore the idiographic understanding of participants’ experiences. Participants were recruited through a NHS trust and interviewed using a semi-structured interview. These were subsequently transcribed and analysed using IPA.

Results: Three superordinate themes emerged: An emotional journey, developing group relationships and developing and understanding self.

Conclusion: The findings suggest individuals are on an ongoing emotional journey and experiences within STEPPS-EI becomes a part of this. Relationships within the group environment were impacted by differences between group members and require active management by group facilitators. Joining the journey of other group members appeared to improve people’s understanding of themselves, their ability to regulate emotions and the relationships with others.