Factor Structure of Borderline Personality Disorder Symptomatology in Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: To examine the factor structure of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fourth Edition, criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a sample of adolescents with a borderline symptomatology. Method:The latent structure of borderline criteria, assessed with the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality, was explored with a principal factor analysis in a sample of 107 adolescents with a borderline symptomatology drawn from a European research project on BPDs. Results:The principal component analysis revealed 2 homogeneous factors accounting for 66.8% of the variance. The first factor included internally oriented criteria, such as avoidance of abandonment, identity disturbance, chronic feeling of emptiness, and stress-related paranoid ideation. The second factor included externally oriented criteria, such as unstable relationships, impulsivity, suicidal or self-mutilating behaviours, and inappropriate anger. Affective instability was the only criterion loading on both factors. Conclusions:The results of our study suggests that an internal or external dichotomy may be an appropriate way to conceptualize the structure of borderline criteria in adolescents with a borderline symptomatology, with affective instability being a core feature of BPD at this age. W W WObjectif : Examiner la structure factorielle des critères du Manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (DSM), 4e édition, pour le trouble de la personnalité limite (TPL) dans un échantillon d'adolescents ayant une symptomatologie de personnalité limite.Méthode : La structure latente des critères de la personnalité limite, évaluée par l'entrevue structurée pour le DSM-IV (personnalité), a été explorée par une analyse factorielle principale dans un échantillon de 107 adolescents ayant une symptomatologie de personnalité limite, liés à un projet de recherche européen sur le TPL.Résultats : L'analyse factorielle principale a révélé 2 facteurs homogènes responsables de 66,8 % de la variance. Le premier facteur incluait des critères orientés vers l'intérieur, comme l'évitement ou l'abandon, la perturbation de l'identité, le sentiment de vide chronique, et l'idéation paranoïde liée au stress. Le deuxième facteur comprenait des critères orientés vers l'extérieur, comme les relations instables, l'impulsivité, les comportements suicidaires ou d'automutilation, et la colère exagérée. L'instabilité affective était le seul critère qui logeait sur les deux facteurs.Conclusions : Les résultats de notre étude suggèrent qu'une dichotomie intérieure ou extérieure puisse être une façon appropriée de conceptualiser la structure des critères de la personnalité limite chez les adolescents avec une symptomatologie de la personnalité limite, l'instabilité affective étant une caractéristique fondamentale du TPL à cet âge.

Frontal EEG asymmetry in borderline personality disorder is associated with alexithymia

“…In line with the literature on motivational responses (avoidance vs. approach; [ 5 ]), this would imply that low-alexithymic patients with BPD would show a tendency for avoidance and withdrawal, while those with high alexithymia measures would be predisposed for approach-oriented actions. Such a conceptual dichotomization of personality structure in BPD has been proposed previously for adolescent patients [ 25 ], and it would be plausible to consider alexithymia as an underlying factor.…”

Practitioner Review: Borderline personality disorder in adolescence – recent conceptualization, intervention, and implications for clinical practice

“…Six published studies have examined the factor structure of the DSM criteria for BPD using youth samples (Michonski, ). Four of those reported an acceptably fitting unidimensional solution (Chabrol et al., ; Leung & Leung, ; Sharp, Ha, Michonski, Venta, & Carbone, ), and the remaining two studies did not directly test the adequacy of a unidimensional model (Becker, McGlashan, & Grilo, ; Speranza et al., ). These studies vary in terms of their methodological strengths.…”

Borderline personality disorder in adolescents: prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment strategies

“…However, the disorder has now been better ascertained, and the evidence justifies the diagnosis and management of BPD in adolescents. 1 – 3 BPD comprises an interiorized component (identity disturbance, stress-related paranoid ideation, chronic feelings of emptiness, and efforts to avoid abandonment), an emotional component (affective instability and inappropriate, intense anger), and an externalized component (impulsivity, suicidal and self-mutilating behaviors, and interpersonal relationships instability) 4 ( Table 1 ). In fact, the affective instability corresponds to hypervigilance and affective hyperreactivity.…”