Understanding Communicative and Emotional Instability in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (A Qualitative Study)

Authors
Jaleh Arji 1
Ghasem Naziri 2
Azam Davoodi 3
1 Ph.D. student, Department of Psychology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iranq
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Borderline personality disorder is one of the most common, debilitating, and fatal mental conditions that is associated with serious costs and consequences. The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying and understanding communicative and emotional instability in patients with borderline personality disorder.

Methods: The research method is qualitative and with a phenomenological approach based on the Collaizi method. The statistical population consisted of people with borderline personality disorder who were referred to hospitals in Hamedan, of whom 12 were purposefully selected and interviewed based on the researcher's theoretical saturation.

Results: The results of the analysis of the interviews were 4 main themes: "emotional control", "mood instability", "impulsivity", and "quality of patient relationships" and 10 sub-themes: "emotional regulation skills", "inability to verbally describe personal emotions", "disturbance in emotional and cognitive actions", "paranoid beliefs", "severe behavioral fluctuations", "cognitive impulsivity", "motor impulsivity", "interpersonal communication", "communication with oneself", and "emotional communication”.

Conclusion: These themes revealed various aspects of interpersonal and emotional instability in patients within the context of borderline personality disorder. The findings emphasize the need for particular attention to emotion regulation, improving the quality of interpersonal relationships, and managing impulsivity in therapeutic interventions for this patient group.
Keywords
Lived experience
Emotional Instability
Relational Instability
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