A POTENTIAL PATHWAY TO BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER : ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHILDHOOD EMOTIONAL ABUSE, ATTACHMENT INSECURITY AND EMOTION DYSREGULATION
STEPHANIE NG JING YI
STEPHANIE NG JING YI
Citations
Altmetric:
Alternative Title
Abstract
Although the etiology of borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been studied extensively in the current literature, a more integrated developmental pathway to BPD has yet to be established. The present study thus aimed to investigate the role of attachment insecurity and emotion dysregulation as potential mediators in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and BPD symptoms. Using a correlational design, the above constructs were examined by administering a series of self-report questionnaires to a nonclinical sample of young adults in Singapore (N=356). The hypotheses were partially supported. Results indicated that attachment insecurity, but not emotion dysregulation, partially mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and BPD symptoms. While attachment insecurity had a direct effect on emotion dysregulation, emotion dysregulation did not predict BPD symptoms and was not directly predicted by childhood emotional abuse, contrary to existing literature. Nevertheless, these findings emphasize the importance of environmental developmental factors in BPD pathology, shedding light on the potential risk factors involved.
Keywords
borderline personality disorder, childhood emotional abuse, attachment security, emotion dysregulation
Source Title
Publisher
Series/Report No.
Collections
Rights
Date
2023-11-09
DOI
Type
Thesis