Commentary: Bringing together lived experience, clinical and research expertise - a commentary on the May 2022 debate (should CAMH professionals be diagnosing personality disorder in adolescence?).

BACKGROUND: There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that the Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD, or similar Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, EUPD) construct is harmful. We provide a commentary on the ideas expressed in the May Debate issue, highlighting both concerns and alternatives. METHOD: We bring together lived experience, clinical and research expertise. This commentary was written collaboratively drawing on all these sources of evidence. RESULTS: We outline evidence that the BPD construct is invalid, harmful, not necessary for effective treatment and a potential block to the development and evaluation of alternatives. CONCLUSIONS: We ask readers to consider these concerns, perspectives and ideas.

What are the autism research priorities of autistic adults in Scotland?

LAY ABSTRACT: Although research has the potential to improve autistic people's lives, lots of funding goes towards research looking at topics which autistic people say has little impact in their everyday lives. Autistic people's lives can be different depending on where they live, and Scotland is a unique country in many ways. We wanted to find out which topics autistic people in Scotland want to see research on. Our team of autistic and non-autistic researchers (including university-based and community researchers) created a survey where 225 autistic adults rated and ranked the importance of possible research topics and shared their thoughts on what topics mattered to them. The five most important topics were mental health and well-being, identifying and diagnosing autistic people, support services (including healthcare and social care), non-autistic people's knowledge and attitudes and issues impacting autistic women. The three least important topics were genetics or biological aspects of autism, autism treatments/interventions and causes of autism. Our findings indicate that autistic people in Scotland want research to focus on things that matter to their day-to-day lives. Also, the Scottish government says they will be listening to autistic people in their latest policy plans, and we believe that considering autistic people's research priorities is an important part of this. Our findings also add to growing calls for change to happen in how and what autism researchers do research on.