Psychiatry Investig.  2022 Nov;19(11):909-918. 10.30773/pi.2022.0114.

Borderline Personality Pathology in Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar I and II Disorder, and Its Relationship With Childhood Trauma

• You JS
• Lee CW
• Park JY
• Jang Y
• Yu H
• Yoon J
• Kwon SS
• Oh S
• Park YS
• Ryoo HA
• Lee JH
• Lee D
• Lee J
• Kim Y
• Cho N
• Ihm HK
• Park CHK
• Lee YC
• Won HH
• Kang HS
• Beak JH
• Ha TH
• Myung W

• KMID: 2536197
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2022.0114

Abstract

Objective
Mood disorder and borderline personality pathology (BPP) are frequently comorbid and relate to childhood trauma. We investigated the relationship between childhood trauma and BPP features in mood disorder patients versus controls.
Methods
A total of 488 mood disorder patients, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar I disorder (BD I), and bipolar II disorder (BD II), and 734 controls were included. We examined between-group BPP-related differences and correlated between BPP and childhood trauma using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ) and the Personality Assessment Inventory–Borderline Features Scale.
Results
BD II patients showed significantly higher BPP. Emotional abuse and neglect were prominently associated with BPP, while affective instability and negative relationships exhibited a stronger association with childhood trauma. We also found a positive relationship between childhood trauma and BPP in MDD, BD I, and BD II patients.
Conclusion
The findings of the present study imply that BPP features are more likely to be found in patients with BD II than BD I or MDD. Mood disorder patients with severe childhood trauma may have higher BPP features. Thus, further study of the relationship between childhood trauma and BPP features could improve the therapeutic approaches and help understand patients with mood disorders.

Keyword

Emotional trauma; Affective instability; Mood disorder; Bipolar disorder