Longitudinal Transmission Pathways of Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms: From Mother to Child?

Abstract

Background: There is evidence that the borderline symptomatology of the mother longitudinally predicts the number of borderline criteria met by the children. However, possible underlying mechanisms have rarely been examined. In line with transactional models of borderline personality disorder (BPD), we analyzed a broad concept of maladaptive mother-child interactions of mothers with BPD symptoms towards their children, including insensitive parenting and mother-child discrepancies, in reporting the child's psychopathological behavior. Sampling/Methods: The sample was drawn from the population-based Greifswald Family Study and consisted of 295 children and their biological mothers. Both were examined at two points in time, first when the children were about 15 years old (T₀) and again 5 years later (T₁), using path analyses. Results: Maladaptive mother-child interactions (especially an overprotective and rejecting parenting style and high discrepancies regarding internalizing problems) mediate the longitudinal transmission of borderline symptoms from mother to child. Furthermore, our data revealed that this result is consistent for various youth symptoms which are associated with BPD such as impulsivity or dissociation. Conclusion: The data of the current study imply that the transmission of borderline symptoms from mother to child is mediated by maladaptive mother-child interactions. For this reason early and professional support may be useful to prevent these children from developing severe psychopathology.

Estimating the prevalence of borderline personality disorder in mothers involved in youth protection services

“…This adversity also corresponds to Linehan's theory that maternal invalidation of a child's emotional experiences can lead to emotional dysregulation and to the development of BPD. Moreover, this type of abuse could contribute to intergenerational transmission of BPD and has been reported in families followed by YPS …”

Borderline personality disorder in children and adolescents: discriminant validity in relation to major depressive disorder

“…Further study of this sample of adolescents (N=295) found that maladaptive interactions between mother and child mediated the relationship between maternal and offspring BPD status [80]. A study of adolescent offspring found that perceived maternal rejection was significantly associated with the severity of BPD symptoms in children [79].…”

“…Studies of offspring of parents affected by BPD demonstrate that concurrent maternal BPD when the youth is 15 years old predicts persistence of youth symptoms across ages 15 to 20 [80]. Further study of this sample of adolescents (N=295) found that maladaptive interactions between mother and child mediated the relationship between maternal and offspring BPD status [80].…”

“There is not much help for mothers like me”: Parenting Skills for Mothers with Borderline Personality Disorder – a newly developed group training program

“…In a large community sample, maternal BPD symptoms were associated with poorer psychosocial functioning in adolescents (e.g., lower social self-perception) as well as with higher and chronic stress in the mother-adolescent relationship, and greater maternal hostility [16]. Reinelt and colleagues [22] investigated 15-year old adolescents and found that particularly an overprotective and rejecting parenting style as well as discrepancies in the perception of psychopathological problems of the offspring mediate the longitudinal transmission of borderline symptoms from mother to child 5 years later.…”