Exploring the interaction between childhood maltreatment and temperamental traits on the severity of borderline personality disorder

Background

Childhood maltreatment and temperamental traits play a role in the development of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The aim of the present study was to assess the involvement and the interrelationship of both factors in the clinical severity of BPD.

Method

The self-reported history of childhood trauma, psychobiological temperamental traits, and severity of BPD symptoms were evaluated in 130 subjects with BPD.

Results

Approximately 70% of the sample reported some form of abuse or neglect. Childhood maltreatment inversely correlated with sociability, but no correlation was observed with the other temperamental traits. The regression model showed that neuroticism–anxiety and aggression–hostility traits, as well as emotional abuse, were risk factors independently associated with the severity of BPD. Sexual abuse was not associated with the severity of the disorder. Finally, the interaction between high neuroticism–anxiety traits and the presence of severe emotional abuse was associated with BPD severity.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the interaction between temperamental traits and childhood emotional abuse has an influence not only on the development but also on the severity of BPD. Further studies are needed to identify more biological and environmental factors associated with the severity of the disorder.