Experiences of Women Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder: Perception of Motherhood, Social, Health, and Construction of Gender

Abstract

Purpose. To explore the experiences of women diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) from a holistic perspective, incorporating their experiences in the social and health fields and their perception of motherhood, and to analyse the influence of the social construction of gender. Design and Methods. Qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological design. Eight women with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder participated in the in-depth interviews. Findings. The trauma, stigma, and difficulty associated with motherhood and being a woman are determinants in the experience of symptoms and the recovery from them. Practical Implications. The findings offer keys to improving the quality of women’s nursing care and the treatment they are provided according to gender factors.