Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been characterized as one of the most stigmatized mental health conditions. Historically, research on prejudice and discrimination faced by individuals with mental health conditions has been within the “stigma model,” focused solely on individual-level processes. More recent research has expanded its scope to mezzo and macro-level processes. Objectives: This scoping review expands on this recent work by applying a critical anti-oppression paradigm to the literature on the prejudice and discrimination faced by individuals labeled with BPD. This paradigm shifts away from the traditional “stigma model” and categorizes oppression as occurring at individual, cultural, and institutional levels. This review seeks to “scope” the literature to determine whether there is a gap in research at any of those levels of oppression. Methods: Studies were included in this scoping review if they were peer-reviewed, published in English between 2018 and 2024, and investigated the diagnosis of BPD leading to some form of oppression. A four-phase search of CINAHL, Cochrane Library, APA PsycINFO, PsycNET, PubMed, Social Services Abstracts, SocINDEX, Google, and Google Scholar was conducted to identify relevant studies. Data from these studies were extracted and organized in Google Sheets. Integrative synthesis was performed. This study was guided and reported per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Results: Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. These included studies primarily focused on individual-level processes of the stigmatization of BPD. However, some studies investigated cultural and institutional levels of oppression as well. Interestingly, qualitative studies in which individuals with BPD were the participants universally revealed multiple levels of oppression, yet when the participants were the “oppressors,” such as mental health workers, findings less frequently identified oppression beyond the individual level. Conclusions: This researcher suggests increased research into the cultural and institutional oppression of individuals with BPD. Further qualitative and mixed-methods research should be pursued. Additionally, participatory research methods seem particularly suited to this topic, as this review suggests that individuals with BPD are already reporting components of their oppression that are being overlooked by researchers.

Traumatic events have deleterious effects biologically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Events may include violence, neglect, and abuse and are best understood through a lifecourse perspective. Preventable and treatable, traumatic exposure promotes the development of trauma symptoms including avoidance, hyperarousal, increased fear, intrusive experiences, and aggression/violence. Trauma symptomology is thought to be an underlying cause of child maltreatment and intergenerational cycles of abuse
eglect. Traumatic symptoms may interfere with the ability to work, function, and care for young children and may accompany a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.

Although these experiences are known to be harmful, little research has focused on experiences of mothers involved in the child welfare system with young children (< 5 years). Subsequently, this study explored maternal experiences of trauma whilst calculating one of the first PTSD estimates. Types of trauma exposure, age of exposure, and event details were explored alongside history of substance use, domestic violence, and mental illness. Trauma symptom type, severity, and frequency were assessed. Utilizing adult attachment as a partial mediator, relationships between trauma exposure, trauma symptoms, and parenting were examined.

Supported by a university-community collaboration within the Safe Babies Court Teams Program in Maricopa County, Arizona, this study is exploratory and cross-sectional. A convenience sample of child welfare involved mothers (N = 141) with young children were recruited who were new clinical intakes with open court dependencies. Data on child/adult traumatic events, trauma symptoms, adult attachment, and parenting were collected. Results indicated high rates of complex/chronic trauma, specifically domestic violence and physical/sexual abuse. Mothers experienced higher than average childhood adversity/emotional abuse with significant overlap between trauma exposure and reduced mental health. PTSD rates ranged from 35-39%. Adult attachment did not to mediate trauma on parenting behaviors however strong and significant direct effects were found. Insecure-disorganized and insecure-resistant were the most dominant attachment styles.



Overall, these findings indicate the complex lifecourse nature of trauma exposure and the need to pay special attention to mental health and domestic violence histories in child welfare involved mothers of young children. Implications for social work practice, policy, and research are presented and provide impetus for continued future work.