A Qualitative assessment of the parenting challenges and treatment needs of mothers with borderline personality disorder

There are currently no empirically supported interventions to target parenting among mothers who have borderline personality disorder (BPD). The current study uses Consensus Qualitative Research (CQR) methodology to (a) learn about mothers' experiences of parenting with BPD, and (b) identify treatment modifications to dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as suggested by mothers with BPD who are currently engaged in DBT skills training. Twenty-three mothers were recruited from intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs that teach DBT skills. A total of 9 focus groups that met 1 time were conducted, asking women a series of questions regarding their experiences of parenting with BPD and how they would modify DBT to address parenting issues. Using the CQR approach, we coded domains and categories that were discussed by mothers in the focus groups. Coding revealed that mothers with BPD wished parenting was integrated more in their current DBT skills groups. In addition, one of the most prominent themes to emerge was that parenting is particularly stressful to mothers with BPD and is associated with guilt, uncertainty, and worry. Finally, mothers offered many ideas for how to integrate parenting-focused interventions into DBT. The CQR method revealed gaps in current treatment for mothers with BPD and provided useful ideas for how to modify DBT to target parenting and integrate these modifications into other approaches for treating mothers with BPD.