Personality disorder service provision: a review of the recent literature

Mental Health Review Journal,Volume 22, Issue 2, Page 65-82, June 2017. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the field of personality disorder since the publication of “Personality disorder: no longer a diagnosis of exclusion” in 2003. Design/methodology/approach A review of both the academic literature contained within relevant databases alongside manual searches of policy literature and guidance from the key stakeholders was undertaken. Findings The acad emic and policy literature concentrates on treating borderline and antisocial personality disorders. It seems unlikely that evidence will resolutely support any one treatment modality over another. Criticism has arisen that comparison between modalities misses inter and intra patient heterogeneity a nd the measurement of intervention has become conflated with overall service design and the need for robust care pathways. Apparent inconsistency in service availability remains, despite a wealth of evidence demonstrating the availability of cost-effective interventions and the significant inequalit y of social and health outcomes for this population. Research limitations/implications The inclusion of heterogeneous sources required pragmatic compromises in methodological rigour. Originality/value This paper charts the recent developments in the field with a wealth of wide-ranging evidence a nd robust guidance from institutions such as NICE. The policy literature has supported the findings of...
Source: Mental Health Review Journal - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research