[Are Especially Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder Stigmatised by Psychiatric Nurses?]

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) appears to be the most stigmatized diagnosis among personality disorders. This study aims to assess attitudes of psychiatric nurses towards patients with BPD compared to patients with depressive disorder.

37 psychiatric nurses were randomized to an experimental between-subject design, in form of two questionnaires with different vignettes. The vignettes examined main outcomes such as negative attitudes, social distance and emotional reactions.

Significant moderate to large differences in terms of social distance (p = 0.033, d = -0.736) and single emotional reactions towards patients with BPD (p = 0.017, d = 0.82), e. g. "I have compassion with her" were found.

Patients with BPD have a substantial need for support. Quality and standards of inpatient care of patients with a BPS disorder can only guaranteed by giving adequate information about the causes of the disorder and professional treatment of the patients. Personnel must be trained to be able to cope with the specifics of the symptoms in BPD patients.