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. 2016 Fall;25(3):177-184.
Epub 2016 Nov 1.

Impact of Diagnosis Disclosure on Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder

Darren B Courtney  1 , Judy Makinen  2
Affiliations

Impact of Diagnosis Disclosure on Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder

Darren B Courtney et al. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Fall.

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: Establishing a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in adolescents is often met with controversy, in part, due to potential stigmatizing effects. We wished to explore the adolescent patient experience of being diagnosed with BPD.

Method: The Impact of Diagnosis Scale (IODS) is a self-report measure we developed with questions targeting patients' subjective experience of receiving a diagnosis of BPD. The IODS was administered to 23 adolescents approximately one month after a diagnosis of BPD had been disclosed to them.

Results: Twenty-one participants had analyzable data. The internal consistency of the measure demonstrated Cronbach's alpha of 0.66. We found wide variability in responses. Patients tended to view the diagnosis as an accurate representation of their symptoms.

Conclusion: The IODS represents a novel means by which clinicians might better appreciate how disclosing the diagnosis of BPD may impact a patient's understanding of one's difficulties.

Objectif: Établir un diagnostic de trouble de la personnalité limite (TPL) chez les adolescents soulève souvent la controverse, en partie à cause des effets de la stigmatisation potentielle. Nous avons voulu explorer l’expérience d’un patient adolescent qui reçoit un diagnostic de TPL.

Méthode: L’échelle d’impact du diagnostic (EID) est une mesure d’autoévaluation que nous avons élaborée avec des questions ciblant l’expérience subjective des patients qui reçoivent un diagnostic de TPL. L’EID a été administrée à 23 adolescents environ un mois après qu’on leur a divulgué un diagnostic de TPL.

Résultats: Vingt-et-un participants avaient des données analysables. La cohérence interne de la mesure démontrait un alpha de Cronbach de 0,66. Nous avons constaté une grande variabilité des réponses. Les patients avaient tendance à voir le diagnostic comme étant une représentation exacte de leurs symptômes.

Conclusion: L’EID représente un nouveau moyen grâce auquel les cliniciens pourraient mieux apprécier comment la divulgation d’un diagnostic de TPL peut influer sur l’aptitude du patient à comprendre ses difficultés.

Keywords: adolescent; borderline personality disorder; diagnosis; disclosure; stigma.

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