Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Mediates Links Between Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms and Both Aggressive and Violent Behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas D. Thomson ◽  
Theodore P. Beauchaine
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Reactive Aggression ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Sinus Arrhythmia

Although emotion dysregulation (ED) is a core symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD), tests of associations between ED and aggression and violence—which are common to BPD—are sparse. The authors evaluated mediating effects of an autonomic vulnerability to ED on links between BPD symptoms and (a) reactive aggression, (b) proactive aggression, and (c) histories of interpersonal violence in a sample of young adults (N = 104), ages 18–22 years. Low baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) mediated the association between BPD symptoms and reactive aggression. In contrast, although BPD symptoms were correlated with proactive aggression, no mediational effect was found. In addition, low RSA mediated the association between BPD symptoms and histories of interpersonal violence. Collectively, these findings add evidence that neurobiological vulnerability to ED contributes to aggressive and violent behavior among those with BPD.

scholarly journals Differential Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Borderline Personality Disorder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Peters ◽  
Sarah A. Owens ◽  
Katja M. Schmalenberger ◽  
Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Reactive Aggression ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Proactive Aggression ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Reactive And Proactive Aggression

AbstractBorderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by rapidly shifting symptoms, including intense anger and aggressive behavior. Understanding how fluctuations in ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle may contribute to symptom instability is key for accurate assessment of BPD symptoms and effective interventions. Reactive and proactive aggression, as well as anger in and out, were assessed daily in 15 physically healthy, unmedicated naturally cycling female individuals without dysmenorrhea meeting criteria for BPD across 35 days. Urine LH surge and salivary progesterone were used to confirm ovulation and verify cycle phase. Cyclical worsening of symptoms was evaluated using multilevel models to evaluate symptom differences between cycle phases. Both forms of aggressive behavior demonstrated marked cycle effects, with reactive aggression highest during perimenstrual cycle phases, co-occurring with increases in anger in and out. In contrast, highest levels of proactive aggression were observed during the follicular and ovulatory phases, when emotional symptoms and anger were otherwise at lowest levels. These findings highlight the importance of identifying the function of aggression when considering potential psychological and biological influences. Naturally cycling individuals with BPD may be at elevated risk for perimenstrual worsening of a range of interpersonally reactive symptoms, including reactive aggression, whereas proactive aggression may occur more in phases characterized by less emotional and cognitive vulnerability and greater reward sensitivity. Research on aggression in this population should consider cycle effects. Cycling individuals with BPD attempting to reduce aggressive behavior may benefit from cycle-tracking to increase awareness of these effects and to develop appropriate strategies.

Rumination in Borderline Personality Disorder: Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara J. Richman ◽  
Zsolt Unoka ◽  
Robert Dudas ◽  
Zsolt Demetrovics
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Sample Type ◽  
Moderator Variables ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Self Harm

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by deficits in emotion regulation and affective liability. Of this domain, ruminative behaviors have been considered a core feature of emotion dysregulation difficulties. Despite this, inconsistencies have existed in the literature regarding which rumination type is most prominent in those with BPD symptoms. Moreover, no meta-analytic review has been performed to date on rumination in BPD. Taking this into consideration, a meta-analysis was performed to assess how BPD symptoms correlate with rumination, while also considering clinical moderator variables (i.e., BPD symptom domain, co-morbidities, GAF score) and demographic moderator variables (i.e., age, gender, sample type, and education level). Analysis of correlation across rumination domains for the entire sample revealed a medium overall correlation between BPD symptoms and rumination. When assessing types of rumination, the largest correlation was among pain rumination followed by anger, depressive, and anxious rumination. Among BPD symptom domain, affective instability had the strongest correlation with increased rumination, followed by unstable relationships, identity disturbance, and self-harm/ impulsivity, respectively. Demographic variables showed no significance. Clinical implications are considered and further therapeutic interventions are discussed in the context of rumination.

scholarly journals The neurodevelopmental trajectory of Borderline Personality Disorder: a review

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan R Edinboro ◽  
Tobias Nolte ◽  
Iris Vilares
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Adult Onset ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Model

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex psychological condition characterised by affective instability, cognitive impairment, problematic behaviours and social dysfunction. Due to the variability in symptomatic profiles, efforts have recently been directed towards comprehending the disorder from a neurological standpoint within the aforementioned domains. Although adolescent-onset BPD is now reliably diagnosed as the adult-onset variant, a limited number of studies address the neural correlates of first presentation BPD. Moreover, research investigating the outcomes of therapeutic interventions on brain function and morphology is scarce. Preliminary findings consistently cite the involvement of grey matter deficiencies of the orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala in the neuropathology of BPD. Additionally, frontolimbic white matter deficits are thought to be implicated. Functionally, over-activity in limbic regions such as the cingulate cortices and amygdala are believed to partially account for emotion dysregulation, though the neural correlates of cognitive, social and behavioural impairments are relatively poorly understood. The present review will endeavour to evaluate the existing neurobiological evidence for BPD in adolescence as well as adulthood. Finally, a rudimentary neurodevelopmental model of BPD will be proposed.

scholarly journals Emotion dysregulation as a maintenance factor of borderline personality disorder features

2014 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 657-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie D. Stepp ◽  
Lori N. Scott ◽  
Jennifer Q. Morse ◽  
Kimberly A. Nolf ◽  
Michael N. Hallquist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Borderline Personality

Self-Compassion Mediates the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 838-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah J. Scheibner ◽  
Anna Daniels ◽  
Simon Guendelman ◽  
Franca Utz ◽  
Felix Bermpohl
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Psychological Process ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Nonclinical Sample ◽  
The Relationship

Individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience difficulties with mindfulness. How mindfulness influences BPD symptoms, however, is still unknown. We hypothesized that the relationship between mindfulness and BPD symptoms would be mediated by self-compassion. In study 1, we recruited 29 individuals with BPD and 30 group-matched healthy controls. In study 2, we complemented our results with findings from a larger, nonclinical sample of 89 participants that were recruited during an open-house event at the local university. All participants completed questionnaires assessing self-compassion, mindfulness, BPD symptom severity, and emotion dysregulation. In both studies, self-compassion mediated the relationship between mindfulness and BPD symptom severity as well as between mindfulness and emotion dysregulation. Self-compassion seems to be one psychological process that could explain the relationship between mindfulness and BPD symptoms. One promising approach in therapy could be to target self-compassion more directly during mindfulness trainings and interventions.

B·RIGHT: usability and satisfaction with a mobile app for self-managing emotional crises in patients with borderline personality disorder

2020 ◽  
pp. 103985622092432
Author(s):  
Álvaro Frías ◽  
Carol Palma ◽  
Ana Salvador ◽  
Elena Aluco ◽  
Sara Navarro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
Emergency Units ◽  
Symptom List ◽  
User Friendly

Objective: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by emotional crises. To date, crisis interventions for BPD have been conducted via telephone calls and emergency units, which are associated with an extra amount of resources. The aim of this research was to test the usability and satisfaction with a psychotherapeutic mobile app for self-managing crises in BPD. Method: The B·RIGHT app was designed based on Artificial Intelligence psychotherapeutic algorithms. Usability and satisfaction with the app were assessed in 25 outpatients diagnosed with BPD (84% female, mean age = 35.80 years) using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and other questionnaires. Clinical features were assessed using the Borderline Symptom List, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and Beck’s Depression Inventory. Results: Patients with BPD considered the app user-friendly (mean total score = 4.03) and highly satisfactory (mean total score = 4.02), resulting in a positive user experience (mean total score = 4.09). Total usability was negatively associated with age ( r = −.44), positively associated with educational level ( rho = .47) and with overall emotion dysregulation ( r = .51), and negatively associated with depression severity ( r = −.47). Conclusions: The usability and satisfaction testing of the B·RIGHT app showed promising findings, which warrant further research in order to validate its effectiveness.

scholarly journals Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Single Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-74
Author(s):  
Giampaolo Salvatore ◽  
Lorena Bianchi ◽  
Luisa Buonocore ◽  
Nadia Disturco ◽  
Angus Macbeth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Emotion Dysregulation ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Interpersonal Therapy ◽  
Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe disease, characterized by severe instabilities in identity, affect and relationships. Clinical improvement of BPD can be facilitated by psychotherapy aimed at tackling multiple specific cross-modality impairments and their patterns of interaction: impaired sense of self, maladaptive interpersonal schemas, impaired metacognition, emotion dysregulation and impulsivity. Herein, we describe the steps in the treatment of a young woman meeting the criteria for with BPD with paranoid traits, successfully treated with Metacognitive Interpersonal Therapy, a treatment based on comprehensive assessment of domains. In the initial phase, treatment focused on promoting emotion regulation, integrating opposing patient representations of the therapist, enhancing metacognition, and increasing focus on the maladaptive schema that elicited dysregulated behaviors. Later in therapy, treatment focused on supporting the patient to realize her ideas about self and others were schema-driven; and improving metacognitive capacity to understand others’ minds. General implications for psychotherapy of BPD are discussed.

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