Much of what we know about BPD — from its early beginnings to diagnosis, treatment and personal recovery — is based on careful research conducted around the world. The outlook for people who live with BPD is improving year by year, as our understanding of this complex mental illness increases. Spectrum treatments are ‘evidence-based’, which means that the work we do is guided by the best available evidence of what works for people diagnosed with BPD.

As Victoria’s Personality Disorder Service, Spectrum plays three important roles for advancing the knowledge and care of individuals with BPD, along with supporting the friends and family who care for them.

These are:

  • Treatment
  • Education
  • Peer-reviewed research and key publications that assist the broader community (nationally and internationally).

Our role is to raise awareness, improve diagnosis, education, and treatment of people with BPD, and support the services that provide ongoing care.

Our current research projects include:

  • Improving the diagnosis of BPD in the elderly
  • Examining the treatment of BPD patients in the Emergency Department
  • Defining ‘recovery’ in the context of living with BPD
  • Examining the effectiveness of medication when given alongside psychotherapy
  • Ongoing quality assessment of Spectrum’s treatment services
  • Recognising and treating men who experience personality disorder
  • Evaluation of Personality Disorder (PD) Initiative
  • General well-being of people with BPD during COVID-19 pandemic
  • Examining transition to and use of telehealth during the COVID-19 restrictions from the perspective of people with lived experience of BPD and Spectrum clinicians.

If you have been diagnosed with BPD and are interested in learning more about Spectrum’s research program, please contact us via email Spectrum.Research@easternhealth.org.au or phone (03) 8413 8750.