Critiquing Personality Disorder

Through its exploration of service user and MHSWs’ perspectives the book offers a social perspective on personality disorder and suggests ways of working to empower the person’s response to traumatic experience. 

In order to work effectively with people with personality disorders it is important that Mental Health Social Workers (MHSWs) have a clear understanding of trauma and its impact on the person. It is also important that they have good relational skills and the support of the team and organisation. Drawing on an analysis of the similarities (and differences) in service user and MHSWs’ perspectives, the book outlines the further skills, knowledge and conditions that will help them to make a more effective contribution to the support of those with personality disorder.

 The book will appeal to qualified Mental Health Social Workers and those on Post-Qualifying Programmes because, uniquely, it explores personality disorder from a social work perspective. 

Foreword

Chapter 1; Personality disorder; classifications, myths and risks 

Chapter 2; Personality disorder; related to trauma

Chapter 3; Challenging the technical and rational: the importance of the social and the relational

Chapter 4; Research findings; working to empower a response to trauma

Chapter 5; Research findings; how practice might be better informed

Chapter 6; In pursuit of social justice: what is required?

Conclusion: a social perspective on personality disorder

Chapter 7; conclusion