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 in 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 am able to 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 own journey with mental health.

0
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 PhD. Using the research component of this
project will help me to 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 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 personal wellbeing. Painting is a healthy coping
method taht can be used to outlet difficult or large emotions which is why it connects to this
core competency. The Social Responsibility components which this project instils 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 surround mental illnesses, especially personality disorders, which will benefit my
community and is an exhibition of problem solving. It also connect 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. 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 in order 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 own work both in the research strand and the art. 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. 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

1
 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.
o Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
o Physical portfolio
o Website
o imovie presentation
o 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, a 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 what resources it would require. In accompaniment to my research paper,

2
 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 and 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?

3
 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. 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 adequate professional perspective. In order 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 amount of time I have to 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.

References:

Attach a REFERENCE LIST. Your list should be written using correct APA formatting.
An example is provided on page 21 of your Capstone booklet.

References

Biskin, R. S., & Paris, J. (2012, November 06). Diagnosing borderline personality disorder.

Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3494330/

Burns, J. (2009). MENTAL HEALTH AND INEQUITY: A HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH

TO INEQUALITY, DISCRIMINATION, AND MENTAL DISABILITY. Health and

Human Rights, 11(2), 19-31. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/25653100

Crawford, M., MacLaren, T., & Reilly, J. (2014). Are mood stabilisers helpful in treatment of

borderline personality disorder? BMJ: British Medical Journal, 349. Retrieved May 11,

2021, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/26517260

4
Nicki, A. (2016). BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER, DISCRIMINATION, AND

SURVIVORS OF CHRONIC CHILDHOOD TRAUMA. International Journal of

Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, 9(1), 218-245. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from

https://www.jstor.org/stable/90011865

Okunade, O. (2017). Living with borderline personality disorder. BMJ: British Medical

Journal, 357. Retrieved May 11, 2021, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/26940492

Salzer, S., Cropp, C., & Streeck-Fischer, A. (2014). Early Intervention for Borderline

Personality Disorder: Psychodynamic Therapy in Adolescents. Zeitschrift Für

Psychosomatische Medizin Und Psychotherapie, 60(4), 368-382. Retrieved May 6,

2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24329521

5
6