A systematic review of diagnosis, recovery, and social role functioning in men with Borderline Personality Disorder, and An empirical study exploring staff and service-user perspectives of Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis and recovery

Griffiths, Carys 2026. A systematic review of diagnosis, recovery, and social role functioning in men with Borderline Personality Disorder, and An empirical study exploring staff and service-user perspectives of Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis and recovery. ClinPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Background. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is associated with substantial morbidity and pervasive functional impairment, yet male perspectives are underrepresented in qualitative research. Gendered differences in clinical presentation, diagnostic pathways, and help-seeking behaviour suggest male experiences may be distinct and warrant dedicated synthesis. Aims. To systematically review qualitative research exploring male lived experiences of BPD diagnosis, recovery, and social role functioning. Method. Searches across six databases (PsycINFO, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed and Scopus) and grey literature sources identified eleven studies reporting qualitive data of adult men diagnosed with BPD. Methodological quality was appraised by a Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool. A narrative synthesis methodology was used to analyse results. Results. Three analytic themes were identified: (1) ‘Between relief and devastation’; (2) ‘The care paradox’; and (3) ‘Relationships as a wound and remedy’. Two overarching analytic constructs ‘The gendered lens’ and an oscillatory pattern of ‘Connection and disconnection’, cut across all themes. Conclusions. Male experiences of BPD are characterised by gender roles, delayed recognition and service responses that compound rather than alleviate distress. Recovery was contingent on consistent, non-punitive relational contexts, where social role loss represented a distinct precipitant to crisis. Findings support extending existing personality disorder policy and framework principles across mainstream community services, through formulation-led, gender-informed practices, to support harm reduction in men’s experiences of BPD. Future research should explore male perspectives of therapeutic models and examine social role loss across BPD populations.

Item Type:	Thesis (DClinPsy)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Funders:	N/A
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	24 July 2026
Last Modified:	27 Jul 2026 09:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/188447

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