Understanding interpersonal dysfunction in Borderline Personality Disorder

• Verfasst von: Miano, Annemarie [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Dziobek, Isabel [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Röpke, Stefan [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Understanding interpersonal dysfunction in Borderline Personality Disorder
• Titelzusatz: a naturalistic dyadic study reveals absence of relationship-protective empathic inaccuracy
• Verf.angabe: Annemarie Miano, Isabel Dziobek, and Stefan Roepke
• Umfang: 12 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 25.10.2017
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Clinical psychological science
• Jahr Quelle: 2017
• Band/Heft Quelle: 5(2017), 2, S. 355-366
• ISSN Quelle: 2167-7034
• DOI: doi:10.1177/2167702616683505
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• K10plus-PPN: 1564774538

Abstract

The core interpersonal dysfunction in borderline personality disorder (BPD) has not yet been conclusively explained. We used a naturalistic dyadic paradigm to test for the presence of functional empathic inaccuracy in BPD, which is a reduced understanding of the partner’s feelings in relationship-threatening situations. A total of 64 heterosexual couples (N = 128) were videotaped while engaging in (a) neutral (favorite films), (b) personally threatening (personal fears), and (c) relationship-threatening (separation from partner) conversations. Females were either diagnosed with BPD or healthy controls. Empathic accuracy (EA) was measured from the recorded interactions. Healthy couples’ EA was lower during relationship-threatening compared with personally threatening situations. In contrast, women with BPD showed increased EA, relative to the controls, for relationship- versus personally threatening situations. Reduced EA in response to relationship-threatening situations is likely to be relationship protective. This mechanism appears to be defective in women with BPD, which might explain the interpersonal difficulties experienced by BPD individuals.