Hopelessness for family members of individuals with borderline personality disorder

Family members and loved ones of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can experience high levels of distress. Types of distress reported by family members include burden, grief, depression, guilt, and powerlessness. Hopelessness is a construct that has received little attention despite its potential relevance for this group. This study sought to examine, and assess potential change in, hopelessness among individuals attending a 12-week Family Connections (FC) program. Participants were 75 family members, 29 men and 46 women. Most participants were parents (n = 43; 57%). Data were collected at four time-points and outcomes included hopelessness, burden, and grief. The majority of participants (82%) reported scores within the 'minimal' or 'mild' ranges of hopelessness before the FC program. A greater proportion of participants in the 60-70 year age group reported scores in the 'moderate/severe' category when compared with younger age groups. The mean hopelessness score for all participants before FC was 4.61 which is considered mild. There was no significant difference in hopelessness scores after program completion. Although mean scores increased at both 3-month and 12-month follow-ups, they continued to remain in the 'mild' category. Hopelessness scores in the current study are similar to those reported in previous studies, although no significant change was found after FC completion. Concepts of personal vs. situational hopelessness should be considered, as well as the relevance of assessing personal hopelessness for this participant group. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between family member hopelessness and index client wellbeing.