Evaluation of Personality Disorder Workshops in Essex, England

Abstract

In this paper we examine the background and context for training related to working with people with personality disorders in England. People with a diagnosis of personality disorder often feel excluded from mainstream health, social and employment contexts, and sometimes experience negative and stigmatizing attitudes from people, including health and social care workers. An evaluation of a program of workshops for forensic nurses and other practitioners was carried out to ascertain how effective the workshops were in challenging attitudes and also in potentially promoting better practice in working with this client group. The evaluation was designed utilizing the principles of illuminative evaluation and involved an analysis of workshop evaluation forms and telephone interviews with course participants. The course received very positive evaluations and participants described how it challenged their beliefs, promoting therapeutic optimism, understanding, and more positive partnerships. Key factors in achieving this were adopting a team approach to the training and service user participation in the workshops. Drawing on our experiences and a wide range of literature, we illustrate the importance of service user involvement in teaching and promoting more positive attitudes, and we outline further areas for investigation.