title: Evaluation of personality disorder workshops in Essex, England: reported impacts on clinical practice.
abstract: In this paper we examine the background and context for training related to working with people with personality disorders in England. People with a diagnosis of personality disorder often feel excluded from mainstream health, social and employment contexts, and sometimes experience negative and stigmatizing attitudes from people, including health and social care workers. An evaluation of a program of workshops for forensic nurses and other practitioners was carried out to ascertain how effective the workshops were in challenging attitudes and also in potentially promoting better practice in working with this client group. The evaluation was designed utilizing the principles of illuminative evaluation and involved an analysis of workshop evaluation forms and telephone interviews with course participants. The course received very positive evaluations and participants described how it challenged their beliefs, promoting therapeutic optimism, understanding, and more positive partnerships. Key factors in achieving this were adopting a team approach to the training and service user participation in the workshops. Drawing on our experiences and a wide range of literature, we illustrate the importance of service user involvement in teaching and promoting more positive attitudes, and we outline further areas for investigation.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: 1Senior Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK, 2Service User Researcher, South Essex Service User Research Group (SE-SURG), Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schafer
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Maxine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nightingale
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education