An exploratory study of psychologists’ perceptions of the phenomenon currently understood as ‘borderline personality disorder’
- Authors: Daya, Lekha
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Borderline personality disorder , Psychologists -- Attitudes -- South Africa , Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/171139 , vital:42023
- Description: The phenomenon currently understood as ‘borderline personality disorder’ (BPD) has been complex and multifaceted since its inception. Previous studies have focused on the validity of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) conceptualisation of BPD, aetiologies of BPD, the psychologies of persons diagnosed with BPD, and the gendered nature of BPD. This study aimed to specifically explore South African practising psychologists’ perceptions of BPD. Through thematic analysis from a constructivist, post-modern paradigm, this study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of practising psychologists on BPD, as well as the usefulness of the DSM in working with BPD in a non-western society such as South Africa (SA). The study sampled two Counselling and two Clinical psychologists practising in the South African context, with exposure to and experience in working with BPD. Collectively, results in this study identified psychologists’ perceptions of shortcomings in the usefulness of the DSM’s approach to categorising phenomena associated with BPD, and brought attention to a need for further research and attention into the role of psychologists’ in the construction of BPD. This study seeks to represent psychologists’ practical experiences and perceptions, in an attempt to add contextually relevant findings on the DSM’s construction of BPD, and to contribute to challenging the stigma and misunderstanding associated with BPD. Specific practice implications and recommendations for future research are discussed within.
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- Date Issued: 2021
A study of the manifestations of the death instinct as evidenced in the case of a pathological organization
- Authors: De Villiers, Jeanine
- Date: 1991-04
- Subjects: Death instinct , Psychology, Pathological , Borderline personality disorder , Paranoid-schizoid and depressive positions , Klein, Melanie
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191691 , vital:45148
- Description: The case study method was used to investigate the manifestations of the death instinct as evidenced in a pathological organization. Work of Kleinian analysts in this area was employed as a basis for interrogating the material that emerged in a five month psychotherapy with a borderline disordered patient. It was demonstrated how the pathological organization was employed as a means of evading paranoid- schizoid fears and depressive position anxieties. Two ways in which defences were assembled into the pathological organization could be traced, both leading to resistance in the therapy. The one set of defences would entail a complete withdrawal from contact, where the patient would hold herself aloof from experience through a solitary invulnerability. The other set of defences involved an active attack on the vulnerable, libidinal self. Identified with the bad, anti-libidinal self, the patient would attempt to annihilate the libidinal self in various ways. Fragmentation of her thoughts and memories, self-destructive behaviour and phantasized and actual attacks on the objects in her world which called forth her neediness were all evidenced. In conclusion, the issue of whether a more active interpretation of the manifestations of the death instinct or a less interpretative, more holding therapeutic stance should be adopted in the therapy with patients exhibiting a pathological organization was raised. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 1991
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- Date Issued: 1991-04