Patients' experience of dangerous and severe personality disorder services: Qualitative interview study

Abstract

As part of an evaluation of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) Programme, we conducted in-depth interviews with 60 participants purposely sampled across four pilot DSPD units. This report is limited to the finding with potential 'conceptual generalisability': namely the unanticipated finding of negative and hostile attitudes of participants being managed in hospital units compared with the prison system. The recent UK government policy decision to concentrate this programme in prisons may, in part, reflect the significance of these findings.