Investigating the impact of life experiences on wellbeing
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding betrayal trauma in Borderline Personality Disorder: exploring the role of appraisals, mental contamination and emotional regulation.
IRAS ID
237991
Contact name
Rhiannon Bennett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
We know that experiences of trauma have been related to several mental health difficulties including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) where many, but not all, report previous experiences of trauma. However, the term trauma can include a range of experiences and understanding how trauma may influence subsequent difficulties is important in order to provide treatments. Research has looked at how people make sense of their experiences (appraisal) and characteristics of the traumatic event.
One characteristic of traumatic events that has emerged is the level of betrayal involved. Traumas with high levels of betrayal involve the violation of your trust or well-being by an individual or institution you relied upon (e.g. abuse from a parent) whereas other traumas may lack such an interpersonal element (e.g. an earthquake) and therefore be considered low in betrayal. Research is demonstrating that individual's appraisals of high and low betrayal events may differ and that betrayal is linked to feelings of dirtiness, known as mental contamination, in individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder. Understanding the factors involved in traumatic events that influence subsequent difficulties in important in order to be able to provide effective treatments.
This study aims to investigate levels of betrayal trauma and mental contamination in individuals with emotional regulation difficulties and receiving treatment designed for BPD. The second aim is to explore how betrayal trauma impacts on subsequent difficulties.
The aim is to recruit individuals with difficulties with emotional regulation and receiving treatment designed for BPD, a clinical control (anxiety and/or depression) and those with no reported mental health difficulties to complete questionnaires. Individuals will be split into three groups. Questionnaires will be used to assess current mental health, experiences of trauma, appraisals of trauma, emotional regulation and mental contamination. Responses on questionnaires will be compared across the three groups.
REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0262
Date of REC Opinion
16 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion