Examining the Shared and Unique Features of Self-Concept Content and Structure in Borderline Personality Disorder and Depression

Abstract

Abstract:A number of clinical theories emphasise self-concept disturbance as central to borderline personality disorder (BPD). To date, however, there has been limited empirical examination of exactly how BPD changes the content and structure of selfconcept. Moreover, it is unclear if patterns of self-concept disturbance are unique to BPD or are driven by axis-I comorbidities such as depression. To examine this issue, the present study adopted a dimensional design, examining how performance on a novel adaptation of a well-validated measure of self-concept (the Psychological Distance Scaling Task) was related to BPD and depression symptoms in a sample of 93 individuals with a wide range of symptom severity. While greater BPD severity was associated with less positive and more negative content of self-concept, this was driven by depression symptoms. Similarly, positive content was more diffuse and negative content more interconnected at higher levels of BPD severity, but for positive content, this was most clearly linked to comorbid depression features. In contrast, BPD severity (over and above depression symptoms) was uniquely associated with greater 'clustering' for positive and negative content (i.e. a more fragmented self-concept). This pattern of results lends support to clinical theories arguing that self-concept fragmentation is core to BPD and also supports the utility of dimensional analyses to identify patterns of cognitive-affective disturbance unique to BPD versus those shared with comorbid conditions like depression. you feel are necessary, we would be happy to incorporate them. We look forward to hearing from you in due course. Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation Yours sincerely, Davy Evans & Barnaby DunnCover LetterResponse to editor Journal reference number: COTR-D-14-00213Based on the advice received, I feel that your manuscript could be accepted for publication should you be prepared to undertake additional revisions.Specifically, I would like to ask you to carefully follow the publication guidelines of the journal. Please also include a paragraph entitled "Disclosures" before the Reference section.Please list any financial disclosures, funding/support, and whether (and where) the data have already been presented. Please also provide a statement about rights of study participants (i.e., when was consent obtained and which institutional review board approved the study) and state that no animals have been used.Author response: We thank the editor for the feedback. In this second revision we have added the disclosure statement section. The supplemental materials have also been reformatted in line with the journal's publishing guidelines. The Springer COI corresponding author form has also been supplied. If there are any further amendments that you feel are necessary, we would be happy to incorporate them. BLIND Response to Reviewer CommentsExamining the shared and unique features of self-concept content and structure in borderline personality disorder ...

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