Personality disorders (PD) are commonly diagnosed, but often carry stigma, and the treatment of PD has been given less clinical priority compared with other severe and enduring mental health problems. This results in a scarcity of research on the treatment and recovery processes for individuals with PD, as well as a lack of empirical studies on the diagnostic process and the personal experiences of those diagnosed, particularly young adults.

This thesis aimed to explore a social-recovery treatment approach to strengthen existing findings and developments in this field and explore how young women understand their diagnosis of EUPD, and the impact of this specifically in relation to their identity and future. Part one of this portfolio presents a systematic review investigating the experiences of individuals with personality disorder working with peer workers on their road to recovery. The findings of the review concluded that peer workers provide unique contributions to the treatment of personality disorder and highlighted that peer support is most effective when combined with clinical support, and when individuals can choose the type of peer support. Part two presents an empirical paper exploring how young women understand their diagnosis of EUPD through their experiences, the transition to accommodating this diagnostic label and whether this has impacted how they view their identity and future. The findings from this study highlighted the complexity of young adult’s journeys before and after being diagnosed with EUPD through a series of case studies. Insights from personal narratives suggested potential benefits from integrating narrative approaches in the treatment of individuals with EUPD, and the implications for future research include the need to assess the effectiveness of early intervention for young people with EUPD.