Psychosocial functioning in personality disorders

Ueli Kramer; Chiara De Panfilis; Rasa Barkauskiene; Katja Bertsch; Joost Hutsebaut; Andres Kaera; Mariana Mendoza-Alvarez; Mickey T. Kongerslev; Babette Renneberg; Christian Schmahl; Michaela Swales

doi:10.1186/s40479-025-00326-y

Psychosocial functioning in personality disorders

Ueli Kramer
, Chiara De Panfilis
, Rasa Barkauskiene
, Katja Bertsch
, Joost Hutsebaut
, Andres Kaera
, Mariana Mendoza-Alvarez
, Mickey T. Kongerslev
, Babette Renneberg
, Christian Schmahl
, Michaela Swales

School of Psychology & Sport Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

The present paper takes a broad perspective on the psychosocial functioning in adult patients with personality disorders. We start with a working definition, then we report on psychosocial functioning in personality disorders from both categorical and dimensional perspectives of personality disorder. We add a section on assessment tools which may be used in this context. We then address the question of how problematic psychosocial functioning may be addressed in psychotherapy and other treatment contexts, when it comes to supporting the person’s move towards sustained recovery. We add a lived and living experience perspective to psychosocial functioning and recovery. We end with recommendations for future research in the domain of psychosocial functioning.

Original language	English
Article number	46
Journal	Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation
Volume	12
Early online date	12 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-025-00326-y
Publication status	Published - 12 Nov 2025

Keywords

Psychosocial functioning
Occupational functioning
Interpersonal functioning
Personality disorders
Recovery
Social functioning

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40479_2025_Article_326.pdfFinal published version, 1.07 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Psychosocial functioning in personality disorders",

abstract = "The present paper takes a broad perspective on the psychosocial functioning in adult patients with personality disorders. We start with a working definition, then we report on psychosocial functioning in personality disorders from both categorical and dimensional perspectives of personality disorder. We add a section on assessment tools which may be used in this context. We then address the question of how problematic psychosocial functioning may be addressed in psychotherapy and other treatment contexts, when it comes to supporting the person{\textquoteright}s move towards sustained recovery. We add a lived and living experience perspective to psychosocial functioning and recovery. We end with recommendations for future research in the domain of psychosocial functioning.",

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AU - Kramer, Ueli

AU - De Panfilis, Chiara

AU - Barkauskiene, Rasa

AU - Bertsch, Katja

AU - Hutsebaut, Joost

AU - Kaera, Andres

AU - Mendoza-Alvarez, Mariana

AU - Kongerslev, Mickey T.

AU - Renneberg, Babette

AU - Schmahl, Christian

AU - Swales, Michaela

PY - 2025/11/12

Y1 - 2025/11/12

N2 - The present paper takes a broad perspective on the psychosocial functioning in adult patients with personality disorders. We start with a working definition, then we report on psychosocial functioning in personality disorders from both categorical and dimensional perspectives of personality disorder. We add a section on assessment tools which may be used in this context. We then address the question of how problematic psychosocial functioning may be addressed in psychotherapy and other treatment contexts, when it comes to supporting the person’s move towards sustained recovery. We add a lived and living experience perspective to psychosocial functioning and recovery. We end with recommendations for future research in the domain of psychosocial functioning.

AB - The present paper takes a broad perspective on the psychosocial functioning in adult patients with personality disorders. We start with a working definition, then we report on psychosocial functioning in personality disorders from both categorical and dimensional perspectives of personality disorder. We add a section on assessment tools which may be used in this context. We then address the question of how problematic psychosocial functioning may be addressed in psychotherapy and other treatment contexts, when it comes to supporting the person’s move towards sustained recovery. We add a lived and living experience perspective to psychosocial functioning and recovery. We end with recommendations for future research in the domain of psychosocial functioning.

KW - Psychosocial functioning

KW - Occupational functioning

KW - Interpersonal functioning

KW - Personality disorders

KW - Recovery

KW - Social functioning

U2 - 10.1186/s40479-025-00326-y

DO - 10.1186/s40479-025-00326-y

M3 - Review article

C2 - 41225561

SN - 2051-6673

VL - 12

JO - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation

JF - Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation

M1 - 46

ER -

Psychosocial functioning in personality disorders

Abstract

Keywords

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