The relationship between social support, coping strategies and psychological distress and positive mental well-being in carers of people with borderline personality disorder.

Abstract

Background: Informal carers of people with BPD experience high levels of burden and psychological distress relative to other populations. There is a scarcity of research evidencing the influence of modifiable factors on carer outcomes to inform interventions. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social support, coping strategies and psychological distress and positive mental well-being in this carer population.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1207 carers completed the McLean Screening Instrument for BPD-Carer Version, the Brief COPE, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Kessler Psychological Distress scale, the WHO-5 Well-being Index, and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. Data for 863 participants who met the inclusion criteria were analysed.

Results: Carers reported low positive mental well-being and high psychological distress. Perceived social support and several coping strategies were significant unique predictors of psychological distress and positive mental well-being. Perceived social support and positive reframing were the strongest predictors of higher positive mental well-being and lower psychological distress. Self-blame, behavioural disengagement and substance use were the strongest predictors of adverse outcomes.

Conclusions: The findings evidence modifiable factors that may be used to improve informal carer outcomes and indicate that carer interventions may be improved by focusing on reducing the use of self-blame, behavioural disengagement and substance use, and development of quality social support and skills to positively reframe caregiving situations.