Troubled lives: chaos and trauma in the accounts of young people considered ‘at risk’ of diagnosis of personality disorder

This study explores accounts provided by 27 young people who had contact with an early intervention service for young people considered to be ‘at risk’ of diagnosis of personality disorder. These accounts, developed from semi‐structured interviews, focussed on their experiences prior to and since referral, which normally followed an episode of extremely risky behaviour such as self‐harm or a suicide attempt. Analysis provided three themes. These focussed on the chaotic lifestyles of the young people, which were punctuated by episodes of self‐harm and other risky behaviours; the unsupportive or traumatic relationships with parents and partners, which culminated in a toxic mix of isolation and self‐blame and the role of case coordinators. The lack of stable adult relationships is evident. Findings suggest the establishment of stable, supportive adult relationships with a view to providing a problem‐solving approach with the aim of guiding young people away from risky acts and their traumatic consequences may be fruitful. The challenge is to find a sustainable way of establishing such a model outside of paid relationships. The other challenge is to develop research approaches with similarly placed young people, which enable ongoing contact.