Trust as a foundation for the therapeutic intervention for patients with borderline personality disorder

A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study using an 'interpretive descriptive approach' was undertaken in order to develop a practice-level model for the facilitation of mental health of patients diagnosed as having Borderline Personality Disorder by the community psychiatric nurse. The context of the study was the in the Psychiatric Community Services in the greater Johannesburg region, South Africa. Individual and focus group interviews were conducted with patients and mental health clinicians representing the multidisciplinary team with experience in managing the condition, either in a personal capacity or as professional mental health practitioners. Themes extrapolated from the transcribed interviews were further explored and a practice-based theory was constructed. This article reports on the first theme 'Trust', the concept identified by both patients and clinicians as crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the therapeutic relationship that forms the vehicle for care of patients with this disorder in psychiatric mental health care.