Capstone Project Proposal Draft

Name of student: Cayley Geddes

Date: May 14, 2021
Teacher: Ms. Lacroix
Capstone strand I have chosen is Project Capstone

Proposed title for my project: Improving the Awareness and Treatment of Borderline
Personality Disorder (BPD)

What is your inquiry question that interests you for further research? It should be a question that
connects with a purpose, passion or personalized area of interest for you. This is a question that
you cannot just google an answer for. Please see examples from your Capstone booklet.

My inquiry question is:

To what extent are people with BPD treated effectively and ethically, how can it be improved?

Rationale/context: Detail your reasons for choosing this inquiry question. Explain WHY you
are choosing to investigate this topic as a major area of focus. How does this area of inquiry
connect to your passion(s), purpose? Why is it of personal interest to you?

I struggle with many symptoms of BPD and I’ve found that there is a lack of awareness
surrounding it and a lot of stigma. As I’ve tried to get help with my mental health, I’ve become
increasingly aware of the lack of resources and how flawed those available are. I think learning
more about something that affects me will benefit me in my mitigation of its impacts on me. I
also think it’s important to raise awareness about mental illnesses to reduce the stigma
surrounding them. One of the best ways to do that, in my opinion, is to listen to the voices of the
people who are struggling. Therefore, this question looks at the treatment from a clinical
perspective as well as the emotional impact on people because I think that is the best approach to
improving our mental health systems.
I chose to include the art component because art is an accessible way to communicate my
experiences. There are many feelings and implications I have due to my mental illness that are
difficult to put into words but I can express through art. I think it gives a more complete
comprehension than just my words.

Background: What background knowledge/connections/prior learning do you have in this area

of inquiry?
I have basic knowledge of what BPD is and the symptoms of it. I also know how those
symptoms present themselves. I have connections to mental health professionals as a result of
my journey with mental health.

Career connections: What is your intended career area at this point in time? What connections
does this inquiry question have to your life, academic, and/ or career goals?

I would like to go into anthropology and get my Ph.D. Using this project’s research component
will help me present my research and papers while I am in school. It will also help me to do my
research and collect information. Trying to find a solution to a problem that impacts today’s
society is also similar to what a lot of my research could be used for in school or as an
anthropologist.

Interdisciplinary and core competencies connections: What subject areas and core
competencies will be connected with your project? Outline and explain the connections.

The subject areas this connects to are art and psychology. It connects to art because I am using
artistic skills to communicate my experiences and the connection to psychology is evident in the
information surrounding BPD. Psychology is present in how BPD manifests, how it impacts
people, and how it is treated. This capstone project is connected to all of the core competencies.

The Personal Awareness and Responsibility:

The Personal Awareness and Responsibility that is present “Well-Being.” By using painting as
an outlet for my experiences I am learning to take care of myself and using a variety of strategies
to manage my wellbeing. Painting is a healthy coping method that can be used to outlet difficult
or large emotions which is why it connects to this core competency.

Social Responsibility:
The Social Responsibility components which this project instills are “Contributing to the
community and caring for the environment”, “solving problems in peaceful ways”, and “valuing
diversity”. I am contributing to my community by trying to improve the systems that are already
in place so that they are more effective. I also want to reduce the stigma surrounding mental
illnesses, especially personality disorders, which will benefit my community and is an exhibition
of problem-solving. It also connects to valuing diversity because by trying to improve the
treatment of those with BPD I am defending human rights (the right to be treated equally) and
advocating for others.
Critical Thinking:
The Critical Thinking core competency's components are “Analyze and Critique” and “Question
and Investigate.” Throughout this project, I will be researching different perspectives and
opinions to have a thorough understanding of the treatment of BPD and the effects of BPD.
Therefore, I am researching relevant information to make defensible judgments and draw
conclusions. I will also be critiquing my work both in the research strand and the art.

Creative Thinking:
Through “Developing Ideas,” I will be utilizing the Creative Thinking core competency. I will be
brainstorming ideas to improve the treatment of BPD. Those ideas will need to be evaluated,
refined, and developed so that I can make them productive. In terms of communication, this
project utilizes “Connect and engage with others”, “Acquire, interpret, and present information”,
and “Explain/recount and reflect on experiences and accomplishments.” This component is vital
to my capstone because it is the foundation for the sharing of my solutions and experiences. I
will be listening to those in the BPD community for their experiences with treatment and with
BPD to consider new perspectives as well as mental health professionals. Furthermore, I will be
engaging in deep and meaningful inquiry to reach my conclusions and solutions. Throughout the
research paper, I will also be sharing what I have learned.

Personal & Cultural Identity:

Lastly, the Personal & Cultural Identity components present in this project are “Personal Values
and Choices”, and “Personal Strengths and Abilities.” Mental Health is very important to me and
this project allows me to share that value and therefore I understand how my values shape my
choices because I chose this project. My strengths are also formal writing and research-style
papers therefore I am using my strengths to contribute to my community.

Capstone Presentation medium: select one or more project mediums you wish to use to present
your project. Outline and give details about how you will present your project once completed.
You may use a combination of mediums.
○ Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
○ Physical portfolio
○ Website
○ imovie presentation
○ YouTube channel

Physical Portfolio. This will be used to display the art I am sharing as well as a full copy of my
research paper. For the final presentation, I would like to have my paintings spread out to exhibit
or I can show them one by one while explaining what they are.
Electronic Portfolio. I would like to use a PowerPoint to share the most important points of my
research paper so that I don’t have to read or show the entire paper. (I won’t read off of the
screen.)
Description of my Capstone project. Specific Project Details of the Capstone Project: what will
you research, create, study, produce, solve, investigate? What product will be produced at the
end of this project for evaluation. Write a one-page description outlining your proposal.

What will I research?

I will be researching BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder). The components of this disorder
that I will be researching are what it is defined as, how it is determined and the expression of
those determinants, how BPD is treated, how patients with BPD are treated, and the implications
of both of those treatments, lastly, how these treatments can be improved. To reach these
components effectively, I will be reviewing studies done by psychologists, personal experiences
of those living with BPD and their experiences in treatment, and documents detailing BPD and
what the treatment entails.

What will I create?

I will be creating a comprehensive research paper that includes details about BPD and its
treatment. I will be compiling my research sources as well as including my own opinion are what
I think would be a good solution. It will include an introduction, the main section (this will
include my findings regarding BPD and its treatment), a solution that will be how I think we
could make improvements to the mental health community, and a conclusion. The solution will
be presented as an action plan. This plan will include detailed steps of how my solution would be
implemented and its required resources. In accompaniment to my research paper, I will be
including roughly 6 paintings. These paintings will include my experiences with BPD. During
the presentation, these will be displayed in a physical portfolio (hopefully) alongside my research
paper. The key points of the research paper will be shared in a PowerPoint presentation.

What will I solve?

I hope to solve some issues surrounding mental health in my community. Mental health has a lot
of stigma surrounding it, specifically in regards to personality disorders such as BPD. Therefore,
by creating this project I hope to find ways that we can improve the treatment of those with BPD.
Treatment that is both clinical, and in day-to-day life.

What product will be produced for evaluation?

For evaluation, I will have the collection of my paintings and the descriptions of them, my full
research paper/action plan, and a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation will express the key
points of the research paper and the action plan that I want to share.
Resources/ Technology/Skills: Make an assessment of the resources, technology, and skills you
will need to be able to complete this project. What is your plan to be able to access/learn all of
the resources necessary to achieve completion of this project? Detail your plans.

I will need access to my painting supplies (I already own them however, I will need to buy more
canvases). I will also be utilizing my painting skills and artistic abilities. For the research, I will
be using school databases for the information I need as well as the internet, I will be using my
laptop to write the paper and create the PowerPoint. I will be able to access these resources
because I already have access to them.

Mentors/Community Connections: What types of mentor(s)/community connections will you

need to help you complete your capstone project? How will your mentor(s) help you? What is
your plan to access the mentorship/community connections necessary for this project?

The community connections that could benefit me would be speaking to people with BPD to
understand their experiences with the disorder and get a first-hand perspective of the impacts of
BPD. This can also be done by reading papers by those written with Borderline Personality
Disorder. I could also reach out to mental health professionals such as psychiatrists or registered
counselors and therapists. However, I think the research papers on the school databases will
provide an adequate professional perspective. To connect to those with BPD to gain their
perspective, I could use social media platforms such as Instagram or tik tok.

Project limitations: What are some project limitations and potential obstacles that you foresee
that might affect progress with your Capstone Project?

I will be working a lot during the capstone project which will impact the time I have to spend
researching and preparing my presentation and materials. Along with work, I coach and play
lacrosse 4 times a week, which also impedes the time I spend on my capstone.

Other considerations: List and detail any other related information/ considerations about your
project that you feel should be included in your project proposal.

My project is very personal to me. I don’t typically share my art or details about my mental
health. I will be in a very vulnerable state however, I am working on being more comfortable
with my vulnerability.