Imagery Rescripting for BPD: A Pathway to Building Psychological Resilience
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Brodbin, Jaqueline
Issue Date
2025
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
borderline personality disorder (BPD) , psychological resilience , schema therapy , imagery rescripting (ImR) , self-concept
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background: Those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often struggle with early adverse experiences that shape their emotional regulation, impulsivity, identity diffusion, and interpersonal difficulties (Jowett et al., 2020). These challenges can impair an individual’s capacity for adaptability and resilience, factors that are closely tied to life satisfaction and psychological well-being (Guillén et al., 2021). Studies show that those with BPD have a higher risk of self-harm and suicidality, leading to more frequent hospitalizations, demonstrating the critical need for research on long-lasting change (Kaurin et al., 2022). This literature review explores the question: To what extent does ImR contribute to resilience in BPD?
Methods: This study employs a literature-based methodology rooted in a constructivist epistemological perspective. Drawing on published, peer-reviewed research, I critically interpreted and synthesized the findings to identify themes across the existing literature, which are used to address the research question of this paper.
Findings: The research base indicates four key themes: 1. ImR for Emotional Healing and Trauma-Based Patterns, 2. ImR for Self-Awareness and Self-Concept, 3. ImR for Adaptive Coping and Behavioral Change, and 4. ImR for Fostering Healthy Interpersonal Relationships. These themes signify areas in which ImR shows efficacy, which also overlap with the literature on resilience-building factors in BPD.
Conclusion and implications: Overall, ImR offers potential for fostering resilience in some areas. However, further research and more direct evidence from the literature on the topic are required.