Lived Experiences of Iranian Families with Mentally Ill Patients who Suffer from Personality Disorders: Phenomenological Approach

Background: Personality disorders are mental abnormalities characterized by chronic disturbances in relating to self, others, and the environment. People with personality disorders exact a heavy cost from themselves, society and the health care system through impaired work as well as dysfunctional family and other relationships. These patients are as a member of their families such as father, mother, son, daughter, and spouse and relied on the rest of their families for care. Their improvement is related to family abilities to provide physical, emotional and social supports for patient which depend on their experiences, feeling and patient-family relationship. Study objectives: This study was carried out to answer the following research question: “What are the lived experiences of Iranian families about personality disorders and related care and how they deal with this phenomenon?” Methods: In this phenomenological qualitative study, through the data collecting for PhD dissertation, 6 patients who suffer from a kind of personality disorders and their families were selected as participant by purposive sampling. Data collecting tool include semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions for patients and focus groups for each family of them. After interviews and focus groups, audio tape contents were transcribed on papers and then the data was analyzed by Giorgi method. Results: The results showed that the families of patients with personality disorders are not alert about theses illnesses. Patient’s families think that these illnesses are social stigma and attempt to deny and keep it secret. Other experiences of these families contain shame for maladaptive behaviors of patients, guilt and families sacrifice. Finding indicated that there were cigarette smoking and drug abuse in Iranian families of patients with personality disorders as inappropriate coping strategies. Also, the results showed that personality disorders effect on social interactions, physical and mental health of these patient and their family members. Conclusions/Recommendations: Finding indicated that personality disorders in one of family members make pressure, worry and disturbance in family dynamism and treated their health.

Phenomenology, live experience, personality disorder , family , Iran