E-ISSN : 2733-4538
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by dysregulations in emotion, cognition, and behavior as well as disturbances in identity and interpersonal relationships. BPD shows a heterogeneous and chronic presentation, and a high comorbidity with major depressive disorder. This study used network analysis to identify the central symptoms affecting the chronicity of BPD, the bridge symptoms that may cause comorbid depressive symptoms, and the predictability of each symptom. Network analysis is a novel approach in understanding mental disorders, in that it delineates the core symptoms of a disorder as well as their inter-connectivity. We conducted a network analysis among 573 community samples using the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Features Scale (PAI-BOR) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results indicated that loneliness, mood shift, and intense mood were central symptoms of BPD. Being a happy person (reverse), self-harm behavior, feeling depressed and hopeless, and self-harm and suicidality were symptoms of both BPD and depressive episodes. The findings suggest that the central symptoms of BPD are related to emotion regulation issues, and that depressive episodes are associated with negative identity issues, affecting mood issues and suicidality. We further explained the results by previous theories and transdiagnostic formulations of BPD and discussed their psychotherapeutic implications.
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