Social cognition and social functioning in people with borderline personality disorder and their first-degree relatives.

Esther Ortega-Díaz,José Antonio Piqueras-Rodríguez,Jesús Rodríguez-Marín,Carlos Cuesta-Moreno,Antonio Palazón-Bru,José María Rico-Gomis,Jonatan García-Campos,Gabriel Estañ-Cerezo

doi:10.7717/peerj.10212

Esther Ortega-Díaz, José Antonio Piqueras-Rodríguez + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10212

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Abstract

BackgroundA few papers studying healthy, first-degree relatives of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have found that this group presents attention and memory problems. However, current research has not analyzed their social cognition.Materials and MethodsWe designed an age-, gender- and education-level matched case-control study involving 57 people with BPD, 32 of their first-degree relatives, and 57 healthy controls in Spain in 2018–2019. All were assessed for social cognition and functioning using the Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition and the Social Functioning Scale; other potential confounders were also collected (marital status, occupation and household variables).ResultsThere were differences in the social cognition domain of overmentalizing errors, with the BPD group scoring significantly higher than controls; however, there was no significant difference with relatives; in the social functioning domain of family relationships, with the controls showing the highest scores. Social engagement/withdrawal, interpersonal behavior, independence-competence, prosocial activities, full scale and categorization domains showed the same pattern: the BPD group had lower scores than their relatives and the controls. Relatives were significantly different from BPD patients in family relationships, social engagement/withdrawal and interpersonal behavior, as well as on the full Social Functioning Scale (both as a linear and categorical variable). However, only controls showed differences with relatives in family relationships.ConclusionsAll in all, relatives show similar levels of social cognition and functioning compared with controls, and people with BPD show some alterations in different domains of both social cognition and functioning.

Highlights

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric disease that predominantly manifests in young adults through a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect, along with intense impulsivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2014)
The relatives were less likely to be single than patients (p = 0.002), more likely to be on disability or pension rolls than controls (p < 0.001), and less likely to be living with their family of origin compared with patients (p = 0.001)
Our results show that relatives of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show some alterations in social cognition; results were not statistically significant, so there is insufficient evidence to support that this is a characteristic feature of BPD

Summary

Introduction

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe psychiatric disease that predominantly manifests in young adults through a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect, along with intense impulsivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2014). Social cognition refers to the abilities to perceive, interpret, and process social stimuli that guide social interactions (Green et al, 2008) Alterations in these processes could cause difficulties in identifying others’ emotions, thoughts, and intentions; these problems could cause different symptoms, such as intense fear of abandonment or dichotomous thinking and idealization (Preißler et al, 2010). Social engagement/ withdrawal, interpersonal behavior, independence-competence, prosocial activities, full scale and categorization domains showed the same pattern: the BPD group had lower scores than their relatives and the controls. Relatives were significantly different from BPD patients in family relationships, social engagement/withdrawal and interpersonal behavior, as well as on the full Social Functioning Scale (both as a linear and categorical variable). Conclusions: All in all, relatives show similar levels of social cognition and functioning compared with controls, and people with BPD show some alterations in different domains of both social cognition and functioning

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