Two to tango: a dyadic analysis of links between borderline personality traits and intimate partner violence

A Dyadic Analysis of the Relationships Between Antisocial and Borderline Personality and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

Cluster B personality disorders of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been implicated in predicting intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. However, most studies include only male perpetrators and ignore the dyadic interactions among couples. The current study examines the interactive role of both partners' ASPD and BPD features to predict IPV perpetration with a dyadic perspective. Seventy-seven married heterosexual couples reporting recent partner violence participated in the study. Each partner completed the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II. A considerable number of participants (53.25% of the men and 46.75% of the women for ASPD and 41.56% of the men and 42.86% of the women for BPD) scored higher than the diagnostic cutoff point. Actor-partner interdependence modeling examined the reciprocal influence of men's and women's personality disorder features on IPV perpetration in two separate actor-partner interdependence models. Results of the first model revealed that the IPV perpetration of both wives and husbands was predicted by their own ASPD scores. In the second model, men's IPV perpetration was predicted both by his own and his partner's BPD features, but this was not true of women's IPV perpetration. While ASPD was a consistent risk factor for IPV perpetration, there were gender differences in the influence of BPD on IPV perpetration. Women's BPD symptoms appear to put her at risk for victimization of IPV. Therefore, in couples experiencing IPV and having BPD symptoms, both partners may benefit from interventions to address emotional instability to prevent future IPV.

Psychological Factors Linked to Intimate Partner Violence and Childhood Maltreatment: On Dissociation as a Possible Bridge Symptom

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious health concern, occurring worldwide in various forms and settings. Over the past years, multiple sources reported an increase of IPV globally, partly related to COVID-19 restrictions. Childhood maltreatment enhances the risk of IPV, possibly via alterations in emotion regulation, attachment, maladaptive core beliefs, dissociation, and psychopathological symptoms. However, studies investigating these associations simultaneously are still needed. This study aimed to investigate association between IPV, childhood maltreatment severity, maladaptive schemata (mistrust, alienation, enmeshment), attachment anxiety, social support, emotion regulation, dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms. We further explored the complex interplay of all factors, accounting for their shared associations. An anonymous online survey was posted on international online platforms for people experiencing domestic violence and on research platforms. Regression analyses and graph-theoretical network analysis were used to explore associations between all variables. N = 434 participants (40% in treatment) completed the survey. IPV perpetration and victimization were highly correlated. Both were significantly associated with childhood maltreatment severity, early maladaptive schemata, dissociation, BPD features, and PTSD symptoms. When including all variables in one model, IPV was associated with dissociation, which indirectly linked it to childhood maltreatment experiences, PTSD symptoms, withdrawal, and self-blame. Our findings suggest that IPV perpetration and victimization often co-occur. Dissociation may be an important bridge symptom, linking IPV to childhood maltreatment experiences, PTSD symptoms, and maladaptive coping. Prospective studies are needed to corroborate these findings and to establish psychological mechanisms underlying IPV.

Impulsivity, impulsive aggression and borderline personality features among violent spouses

Objective

Spousal violence in Pakistan is under researched but still not considered as a public health problem. The current study is intended to analyze the association between multiple measures of impulsivity, impulsive aggression, and borderline personality feature among violent spouses as well as to find out the moderating role of impulsive aggression between spousal violence and borderline personality features.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey research design was used for conducting the research. The sample of 300 spouses, experiencing intimate partner relationships, was taken from different cities of the Hazara division through purposive sampling.

Results

Present study demonstrated a significant positive correlation of spousal violence with impulsivity (r = .708∗∗, P < .001), impulsive aggression (r = .176∗∗, P < .001), and borderline personality features (r = .605∗∗, P < .001), while impulsivity was negatively correlated with impulsive aggression (r = -.018, P < .01). Impulsive aggression moderates the relationship between spousal violence and borderline personality features. The results showed that male and female spouses were found equally impulsive and impulsively aggressive. Likewise, impulsivity, impulsive aggression, and borderline personality features were found significant predictors of violence F = (3, 296) = 106. 67, P < .001.

Conclusion

Current research offers some important insights and consequences for physicians and practitioners who interact with individuals who have experienced violence. These results have significant therapeutic implications for the treatment of violent couples.

Childhood Maltreatment, Borderline Personality Features, and Coping as Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious mental and physical health concern worldwide. Although previous research suggests that childhood maltreatment increases the risk for IPV, the underlying psychological mechanisms of this relationship are not yet entirely understood. Borderline personality (BP) features may play an important role in the cycle of violence, being associated with interpersonal violence in both childhood and adult relationships. The present study investigated whether BP features mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and IPV, differentiating between perpetration and victimization, and taking maladaptive stress coping and gender into account. Self-reports on IPV, childhood trauma, BP features, and maladaptive stress coping were collected in a mixed (nonclinical and clinical) sample of 703 adults (n = 537 female, n = 166 male), using an online survey. A serial mediation analysis (PROCESS) was performed to quantify the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on IPV and its indirect effects through BP features and maladaptive coping. Childhood maltreatment severity significantly positively predicted IPV perpetration as well as victimization. BP features, but not coping, partially mediated this relationship. Follow-up analyses suggest that affective instability and interpersonal disturbances (e.g., separation concerns) play an important role in IPV perpetration, while interpersonal and identity disturbances may mediate the effect of childhood maltreatment on IPV victimization. In clinical practice, attention should be paid not only to histories of childhood abuse and neglect but also to BP features, which may be possible risk factors for IPV.

Personality disorders as predictors of intimate partner violence: A meta-analysis

Despite years of research demonstrating a relation between personality pathology and intimate partner violence (IPV), no meta-analysis has been published examining how well, or poorly, all ten personality disorders (PDs) predict IPV perpetration or victimization, nor has any meta-analysis examined these relations across types of IPV. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to synthesize existing research on the effects of all ten PDs, as well as psychopathy and global PD symptoms, on physical, psychological, and sexual IPV perpetration and victimization. An initial search in PsycINFO, PubMed, and Sociological Abstracts yielded 3988 results. After duplicate and irrelevant articles were removed, 163 studies were included in the analysis, representing 189 individual samples. Analysis was conducted in R using the metafor package. Main effects analyses indicate that PDs were significantly and positively related to IPV perpetration. Results were more mixed for IPV victimization. Antisocial and borderline PDs demonstrated the most robust effect sizes across both perpetration and victimization. Moderator analyses suggested that with few exceptions, main effects were consistent across a number of sample and study characteristics. Findings may help to inform prevention and intervention efforts in clinical settings.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Early Maladaptive Schemas as Predictors of Cyber Dating Abuse: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model Approach

The increasing role that new technologies play in intimate relationships has led to the emergence of a new form of couple violence, cyber dating abuse, especially among adolescents and young adults. Although this phenomenon has received increased attention, no research has investigated predictors of cyber dating abuse taking into account the interdependence of the two partners. The study examines adverse childhood experiences (abuse, neglect, and witnessed intimate partner violence) and early maladaptive schemas (emotional deprivation and abandonment) as possible predictors of young adults' perpetrated and suffered cyber dating abuse. Adopting a dyadic approach, mediational models in which adverse childhood experiences were assumed to be related to individual and partner's cyber dating abuse through individual early maladaptive schemas were tested. 134 couples completed online self-reports of the variables of interest, including a bidimensional measure of cyber dating abuse assessing pressure-aggression and control-monitoring. Actor-partner interdependence mediation model analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the emotional deprivation schema mediated the association between adverse childhood experiences and cyber dating abuse, whereas the abandonment schema did not. Specifically, more frequent experiences of emotional abuse and physical neglect during childhood were indirectly related to increased likelihood of perpetrating cyber dating pressure-aggression as well as of perpetrating and suffering cyber dating control-monitoring in both males and females. These associations were mediated by a stronger internalization of the emotional deprivation schema and were supported by both self-reported and partner-reported data. Also, a strong and direct association was found between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence by the opposite-sex parent and cyber dating pressure-aggression by females or control-monitoring by both males and females. These findings help to clarify the potential negative effects of specific adverse childhood experiences and early maladaptive schemas on the tendency to perpetrate and suffer cyber abuse in romantic relationships. The implications for prevention and treatment programs are noted and avenues for future research are described.

Borderline Personality Features, Anger, and Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Manipulation of Rejection

Individuals with borderline personality features may be susceptible to react to situational stressors with negative and interpersonally maladaptive emotionality (e.g., anger) and aggression. The current study attempted to test two moderated mediation models to investigate dispositional risk factors associated with borderline personality features and intimate partner violence (IPV). Results from an experimental rejection induction paradigm were examined using moderated regression to observe contextual reactions to imagined romantic rejection from a current romantic partner among individuals with borderline personality features. An ethnically diverse sample of 218 undergraduates at a large public university in the southwestern United States was recruited. Participants responded to demographic questions and self-report measures, and engaged in an experimental rejection induction paradigm. Borderline personality features was positively associated with rejection sensitivity, physical assault, and psychological aggression. Contrary to initial hypotheses, rejection sensitivity did not serve as a mediator of the relations between borderline personality features and physical assault and psychological aggression. However, trait anger mediated the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression. As such, trait anger may be an important explanatory variable in the relation between borderline personality features and psychological aggression specifically. Results of the rejection induction paradigm indicated that, for individuals who were asked to imagine an ambiguous rejection, the relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection was strengthened. For individuals who imagined a critical rejection, there was no significant relation between borderline personality features and state anger post-rejection. Findings suggest that trait anger may be an important dispositional factor in the link between borderline personality features and IPV. In addition, contextual factors, such as ambiguous rejection by an intimate partner, may be especially relevant in activating anger or aggression in individuals with borderline personality features.

Dating Violence Victimization, Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, and the Moderating Effect of Borderline Personality Disorder Features in Adolescent Inpatients

The aim of the study was to examine whether Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) features moderate the relation between dating violence victimization (DVV) experiences and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescent inpatients. A total of 184 adolescent inpatients completed measures on DVV, BPD features, and NSSI at admission to treatment. Bivariate analyses revealed significant relations between DVV, BPD features, and NSSI. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated a moderating effect of BPD features such that in the low BPD features group, more severe DVV was associated with greater NSSI frequency; adolescents in the high BPD group endorsed elevated, though stable, levels of NSSI at all levels of DVV. BPD features differentially affect the relationship between DVV and NSSI. Low BPD adolescents exposed to high DVV appear to self-injure more frequently and at rates similar to high BPD adolescents when faced with more severe DVV, while DVV appears neither necessary nor sufficient to be the cause of NSSI in high BPD adolescents. Our results indicate that DVV may be a particularly important focal point for treating adolescents who self-injure and have been victimized by a dating partner. As such, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) may serve as valuable clinical interventions.

Dating violence victimization and borderline personality pathology: Temporal associations from late adolescence to early adulthood

Borderline personality pathology is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive interpersonal deficits that onset during adolescence. Risk factors for borderline personality pathology include maladaptive interpersonal dynamics within attachment relationships. Given the shift toward emphasizing romantic relationships during adolescence as an important attachment relationship with implications for healthy development, the current study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal and reciprocal relations between victimization in dating relationships and borderline pathology in the transition from late adolescence to early adulthood. A large sample of high school daters (N = 818; 58% female; Mage = 16.10 years, SDage = .78) were recruited to complete annual assessments of borderline personality features and dating violence victimization across 5 years. Results of a cross-lagged panel model revealed that primarily among girls, borderline features predicted increased levels of relational, psychological, and physical violence, whereas psychological and sexual violence predicted greater borderline features. The current findings provide the first evidence of a longitudinal association between victimization and borderline pathology in adolescence and suggest, particularly among girls, that interventions for borderline features have important implications for reducing dating violence victimization among adolescents and young adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The relation of borderline personality disorder to aggression, victimization, and institutional misconduct among prisoners

OBJECTIVE

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is highly prevalent among incarcerated populations; however, research has yet to examine whether prisoners diagnosed with BPD experience greater interpersonal dysfunction and institutional misconduct while incarcerated.

PROCEDURE

This study drew from a sample of 184 male and female prisoners diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) in a randomized trial of depression treatment. The presence of a BPD diagnosis (n = 69) was analyzed as a predictor of disciplinary incidents/infractions (i.e., fights, arguments with staff, disciplinary infractions, isolation), time spent in isolation, and types of aggression and victimization experiences during incarceration.

RESULTS

There was a trend suggesting prisoners with BPD were about twice as likely as those without BPD to report disciplinary incidents/infractions (OR = 1.76 [0.93, 3.32], p = 0.075). Having a BPD diagnosis was unrelated to time in isolation and overall aggression and victimization. However, prisoners with BPD were more likely than those without BPD to perpetrate and be victimized by psychological aggression. Due to high rates of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in the sample as a whole (72%), additional analyses compared outcomes across prisoners with no BPD or ASPD diagnosis, BPD diagnosis only, ASPD diagnosis only, and comorbid BPD and ASPD. Prisoners with comorbid BPD and ASPD were no more likely than prisoners with ASPD only to report disciplinary incidents/infractions, but were significantly more likely than those with ASPD only to report perpetrating and being victimized by psychological aggression.

CONCLUSIONS

Among prisoners with MDD, those with a BPD diagnosis have increased risk of psychological aggression and disciplinary infractions during incarceration.

Familial Effects on Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Across Adolescence and Young Adulthood

Research suggests violence in the family-of-origin is a consistent predictor of later intimate partner violence (IPV). However, prior empirical studies have also demonstrated that exposure to violence does not lead deterministically to violent behaviors in young adulthood. Given that family context entails more than simply the presence or absence of abuse, additional aspects of family life warrant examination. One such aspect is the quality of the parent-child relationship. Using five waves of data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (N = 950 respondents, 443 males and 507 females), the present study examined both main and interactive effects of parent-child physical aggression (PCPA) and parent-child relationship quality (PCRQ) in predicting adolescents' and young adults' IPV perpetration. Results indicated that both PCPA and PCRQ were key independent predictors of individuals' IPV perpetration, but did not interact to produce cumulatively different risk. Important interactions between PCPA and gender, and PCRQ and age were also found.

Dependent personality features in a complex case of borderline personality disorder

Borderline personality disorder is a complex disease model as it encompasses a diversity of pathological personality traits and psychopathological symptoms. It is not surprising, therefore, that it is often manifested by personality disorders across all three clusters and accompanied by other mental (Axis I) disorders. This melange makes both psychological treatment and pharmacotherapy especially challenging, and this paper describes the case of a particularly complex case of a 33-year-old Romanian patient, who has a history of severe deprivation in childhood, mood and substance use disorder in association with borderline pathology. In the course of treatment from many sources and interventions, it has become clear that dependence is a key component of the pathology and has been rewarded with a degree of success in management. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Borderline personality disorder and violence in the UK population: categorical and dimensional trait assessment

BACKGROUND

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterised by difficulties with impulse control and affective dysregulation. It is unclear whether BPD contributes to the perpetration of violence or whether this is explained by comorbidity. We explored independent associations between categorical and dimensional representations of BPD and violence in the general population, and differential associations from individual BPD criteria.

METHODS

We used a representative combined sample of 14,753 men and women from two British national surveys of adults (≥16 years). BPD was assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview II- Questionnaire. We measured self-reported violent behaviour in the past 5 years, including severity, victims and locations of incidents. Associations for binary, dimensional and trait-level exposures were performed using weighted logistic regression, adjusted for demography and comorbid psychopathology.

RESULTS

Categorical diagnosis of BPD was associated only with intimate partner violence (IPV). Associations with serious violence leading to injuries and repetitive violence were better explained by comorbid substance misuse, anxiety and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). However, anger and impulsivity BPD items were independently associated with most violent outcomes including severity, repetition and injury; suicidal behaviours and affective instability were not associated with violence. Both trait-level and severity-dimensional analyses showed that BPD symptoms might impact males and females differently in terms of violence.

CONCLUSIONS

For individuals diagnosed BPD, violence is better explained by comorbidity. However, BPD individual traits show different pathways to violence at the population level. Gender differences in BPD traits and their severity indicate distinct, underlying mechanisms towards violence. BPD and traits should be evaluated in perpetrators of IPV.

Intimate partner violence-related experiences and mental health among college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health threat that contributes to a wide range of mental and physical health problems for victims.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to examine IPV-related experiences and mental health outcomes among college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

METHODS

The data were obtained from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the International Dating Violence Study (IDVS) 2001-2006 (ICPSR 29583; N = 981; Japan n = 207; Singapore n = 260; South Korea n = 256; Taiwan n = 258).

RESULTS

Co-experience of physical IPV victimization and perpetration was associated with borderline personality traits and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not with depression. Childhood sexual abuse, gender hostility and violence socialization were significant predictors of borderline personality traits, depression and PTSD. While country and gender variations in mental health are noted, there are two specific populations that may need special attention for mental health interventions: Taiwanese women especially for borderline personality traits and PTSD, and Japanese men especially for depression.

CONCLUSION

IPV victimization and perpetration, childhood sexual abuse, gender hostility and violence socialization have a significant impact on the mental health of college students in Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Since IPV and mental health are significant public health issues, research on IPV and mental health consequences of IPV victimization and perpetration in these countries should be further expanded in order to better understand the interventions that will be effective in treating victims, perpetrators and victim/perpetrators of IPV.

Borderline personality disorder: Prevalence and psychiatric comorbidity among male offenders on probation in Sweden

INTRODUCTION

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severely disabling condition, associated with substantially increased risk of deliberate self-harm and, particularly in men, also with interpersonal violence and other criminal behavior. Although BPD might be common among prison inmates, little is known about prevalence and psychiatric comorbidity in probationers and parolees.

METHOD

In 2013, a consecutive sample of 109 newly admitted adult male offenders on probation or parole in all three probation offices of Stockholm, Sweden, completed self-report screening questionnaires for BPD and other psychiatric morbidity. Participants scoring over BPD cut-off participated in a psychiatric diagnostic interview.

RESULTS

We ascertained a final DSM-5 BPD prevalence rate of 19.8% (95% CI: 12.3-27.3%). The most common current comorbid disorders among subjects with BPD were antisocial personality disorder (91%), major depressive disorder (82%), substance dependence (73%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (70%), and alcohol dependence (64%). Individuals diagnosed with BPD had significantly more current psychiatric comorbidity (M=6.2 disorders) than interviewed participants not fulfilling BPD criteria (M=3.6). Participants with BPD also reported substantially more symptoms of ADHD, anxiety and depression compared to all subjects without BPD.

CONCLUSIONS

BPD affected one fifth of probationers and was related to serious mental ill-health known to affect recidivism risk. The findings suggest further study of possible benefits of improved identification and treatment of BPD in offender populations.

Borderline personality disorder and related constructs as risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration

In this manuscript we systematically reviewed 29 articles from 2010 to 2014 that addressed the association between borderline personality disorder (BPD) and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, with particular attention paid to the role of perpetrator sex. Our primary objective was to provide a summary of (1) the operationalization and measurement of BPD and IPV, (2) mechanisms of the BPD-IPV association, and (3)the current understanding of the role of perpetrator sex related to BPD and IPV. We observed three distinct operational definitions of BPD which are measured in a variety of ways. IPV measurement tends to be more consistent. Further, emotion perception, impulsivity, attachment, and substance use are proposed mechanisms to explain the BPD IPV relation. The findings regarding potential perpetrator sex differences in the BPD-IPV association are mixed. Finally, we also provide recommendations for future research and clinical practice.

Associations Between Dysfunctional Personality Traits and Intimate Partner Violence in Perpetrators and Victims

In the current study, the role of borderline and antisocial personality traits and psychological and physical forms of intimate partner violence were examined. Using self- and partner-reports, 30 perpetrators (28 males) and 30 victims (29 females) of partner violence, including 23 (former) couples, were interviewed. Results showed that perpetrators (i.e., males) were higher on antisocial personality traits than victims (i.e., females), but the two groups did not differ on borderline traits and self-reported violence. Moreover, borderline traits were associated with partner violence in general, whereas antisocial personality traits were associated with physical, but not psychological, partner violence. Analyses on (former) couples suggest that there is little congruence between perpetrators' and victims' reports of partner violence. In conclusion, the findings of the current study not only emphasized the complex nature of intimate partner violence but also showed that dysfunctional personality traits and gender play a significant role in both the display and reporting of partner violence.