Background:
The study investigated the clinical picture of young people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits by comparing them with a group of young people with major depressive disorder (MDD) on a set of variables that target core features of BPD and their etiology. In particular, the study used the interpersonal negotiation strategies (INS) model of social problem solving, alongside a measure of self-schema, to investigate potential maladaptive social-cognitive processes in BPD. Empirical findings regarding schema domains specific to BPD are limited and research into cognitive processes has focused on the single concept of dichotomous thinking.
Methods:
Participants were 30 youths (15–24 years) with three or more BPD traits and 30 youths (15–24 years) with MDD. Participants received self-report measures of attachment, self-schema and interpersonal functioning. The INS interview assessed social perspective coordination skills in response to six hypothetical vignettes depicting situations of interpersonal conflict. To investigate the parameters of social information-processing biases, in BPD, vignettes varied in terms of whether the conflict resembled BPD-specific schema content or neutral-schema content.
Results:
The BPD group scored significantly higher on schemas of mistrust/abuse, insufficient self-control and entitlement and were characterized by high attachment anxiety and avoidance, but were differentiated from the MDD group by higher avoidance. The BPD group responded to interpersonal conflict with social perspective coordination skills of a significantly lower developmental level than the MDD group, regardless of vignette content. Young people with BPD traits were accordingly characterized by significantly worse interpersonal functioning.
Conclusion:
The implications of these results for early cognitive intervention approaches to the treatment of BPD are discussed.
