Factors Associated with Distress in Caregivers of People with Personality Disorders

Abstract

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The relationship between social support, coping strategies and psychological distress and positive mental well-being in carers of people with borderline personality disorder

“…Consistent with the stress process model of caregiving, perceived social support and coping strategies predicted the outcome variables when controlling for sociodemographic variables and COVID-19 anxiety. Perceived social support predicted higher positive mental well-being and lower psychological distress, echoing widespread carer research [ 34 , 45 , 76 , 77 ]. Carers attending group interventions and support programmes have previously described the positive effect of received group peer support [ 11 , 23 , 78 ].…”

“…Stress process models explain carer outcomes in response to caregiving stress [ 27 ] and propose that social support and coping strategies are important moderators of IC adjustment across carer populations [ 28 – 33 ]. There is evidence of applicability of the model in ICs of people with personality disorders [ 34 ].…”

“…In carers of people with schizophrenia, coping strategies of self-blame, collusion and criticism related to adverse outcomes; whereas strategies of positive reappraisal, reframing and religious coping correlated with better well-being in more than one study [ 39 – 44 ]. Higher levels of social support relate to better outcomes across IC populations, including ICs of people with mental health diagnoses [ 34 , 45 ]. Unfortunately, caregiving can be associated with lower perceived social support [ 46 ], as revealed by small samples of ICs of people with BPD [ 10 – 13 ].…”