Factors of Identity Disturbance and Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

Currently, there is a dearth of research investigating identity disturbance in borderline personality disorder (BPD). In this study, identity disturbance was hypothesized to encompass two lower order facets: Deficits in Narrative Construction and Deficits in Self-Reflection. Another purpose was to investigate how identity disturbance is related to two other symptoms of BPD: Emotion Dysregulation and Impulsivity. Participants were recruited and completed a series of self-report questionnaires and wrote four key life events. Overall, the two factors of identity disturbance were found, but the higher-order structure was not supported. A four oblique factor model of BPD traits fit the data best. Results indicated that Emotion Dysregulation, Impulsivity, and Deficits in Self-Reflection were all positively related to a measure of BPD symptoms, while Deficits in Narrative Construction was negatively related to this measure. Correlations among these factors are also discussed. The findings, limitations, and future directions of the study are discussed.M.A