TY - BOOK

T1 - Women's Stories of Emotional Distress, Relational Experiences and Sense-making

T2 - Listening in a Different Way

AU - Pettitt, Alice

PY - 2018/8/16

Y1 - 2018/8/16

N2 - A meta-synthesis was conducted to examine the impact of maternal mental healthdifficulties on the mother-daughter relationship. Nine studies were synthesised which resultedin the development of seven themes. The findings indicated the ways in which maternalmental health difficulties can disrupt the attachment relationship between mother and child.Contextual factors relating to shame, discrimination and marginalisation were also identified,but did not appear to hold the same prominence in the women’s stories. As part of thediscussion, the author considered how societal expectations about the roles of mothers anddaughters might have affected the participants’ experience of relating to their mother.The research project explored the voices of women who have received a diagnosis ofborderline personality disorder (BPD). The voice centred relational method (VRM) was usedto listen to the many different and co-existing voices the women used to describe theirexperiences of distress and the ways in which they made sense of it. The ten voices identifiedhighlighted complex relational dynamics linking to power, blame and shame at an individualand systemic level. Suggestions were made for resistance at both a practice and politicallevel, to challenge the abuse of power and the oppressive practices that continue to silencewomen by invalidating the multiple ways in which they understand their life experiences.Finally, the critical appraisal considered the role of power and reflexivity within theresearch project. The author reflected on the ways in which conducting this project andengaging in these issues had shaped her current clinical practice.

AB - A meta-synthesis was conducted to examine the impact of maternal mental healthdifficulties on the mother-daughter relationship. Nine studies were synthesised which resultedin the development of seven themes. The findings indicated the ways in which maternalmental health difficulties can disrupt the attachment relationship between mother and child.Contextual factors relating to shame, discrimination and marginalisation were also identified,but did not appear to hold the same prominence in the women’s stories. As part of thediscussion, the author considered how societal expectations about the roles of mothers anddaughters might have affected the participants’ experience of relating to their mother.The research project explored the voices of women who have received a diagnosis ofborderline personality disorder (BPD). The voice centred relational method (VRM) was usedto listen to the many different and co-existing voices the women used to describe theirexperiences of distress and the ways in which they made sense of it. The ten voices identifiedhighlighted complex relational dynamics linking to power, blame and shame at an individualand systemic level. Suggestions were made for resistance at both a practice and politicallevel, to challenge the abuse of power and the oppressive practices that continue to silencewomen by invalidating the multiple ways in which they understand their life experiences.Finally, the critical appraisal considered the role of power and reflexivity within theresearch project. The author reflected on the ways in which conducting this project andengaging in these issues had shaped her current clinical practice.

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/65

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/65

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

CY - Lancaster

ER -