Dissociation in Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on material published in Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation and is available as an open-access article. Dissociation is a feature of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but is rarely a focus for research, particularly in the perinatal literature. BPD partly has its etiology in childhood and is characterized by emotional changes and difficulty with self-coherence that impact the processes of caregiving. A scoping review was conducted to synthesize current perspectives on the effect of dissociation in caregivers with BPD, particularly regarding the impact of caregiver dissociation on the interactional quality of relationships within parent-child dyads. Studies were included if they explicitly mentioned dissociation in the target population,or if dissociation was implied. A thematic analysis was conducted. 20 studies were included; 10 experimental or quasi-experimental; 2 presenting case material; and 8 non systematic review articles. 4 studies used the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) to measure dissociation, while 2 studies included a dissociative behavior subscale as part of an observational measure. The remaining studies did not measure dissociation but referenced directly or indirectly a concept of dissociation. Findings suggested there was some evidence that dissociation plays a unique role in BPD caregivers' interactions with their offspring, however any findings should be interpreted with caution as the concept has been poorly operationalized and defined. This course on borderline personality disorders in mothers is designed for clinical social workers, psychologists, professional counselors, nurses, and substance abuse counselors who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced-level practitioners who wish to develop their expertise with borderline personality disorders in mothers. The course material includes a literature review of research. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading peer-reviewed research-based articles for continuing education is that they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Rimmington, Roberts, Sawyer, Sved-Williams Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding borderline personality disorders in mothers. Specifically, a professional will: Recognize the relationship between borderline personality disorder and caregiving. Describe dissociation and its role in intergenerational trauma. Describe the concept of dissociation as a process of interruption. Citation: Rimmington, D., Roberts, R., Sawyer, A., & Sved-Williams, A. (2024). Dissociation in mothers with borderline personality disorder: a possible mechanism for transmission of intergenerational trauma? A scoping review. Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation, 11(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-024-00250-7