9.4 Family Connections: A Program for Adolescents and Parents

Abstract

Research suggests that a lack of understanding/information on borderline personality disorder (BPD), parents' own emotion about their children's difficulties, and a lack of parent and relationship skills for dealing with their troubled teenagers may contribute to poorer outcomes for both teenagers with BPD-related problems and their parents. Family Connections (FC) is a free 12-week program designed to address three areas of potential deficits: 1) education on BPD, emotion dysregulation, and family interactions; 2) individual skills to help parents cope; and 3) relationship and parent skills to help parents interact with their teenagers in healthier ways. FC (a group program) also provides parents peer support. Prior studies show reductions in burden, depression, and grief and an increase in empowerment with sample groups consisting of parents of teenagers, parents of adults, partners, and siblings. Data from the present study evaluate FC impact on suicidal and self-harming teenagers in a residential treatment program.