The Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Risk of Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by emotional over-sensitivity. People with BPD show symptoms of erratic behavior, having a fear of abandonment, and experiencing unstable social relationships. The factors and elements that influence the development of BPD are uncertain and varied, but there is a correlation between the development of BPD and the person's experience of abuse and other adverse factors. The aim of this review is to understand the factors and elements in BPD development. According to previous studies, emotional and sexual abuse experienced in childhood is a very important cause of the development of BPD. Low levels of caregiver warmth and neglect are associated with the development of BPD symptoms but are not determinative. At the same time, personality traits play an essential role in the resilience of BPD. In addition, BPD often coexists with other psychological disorders. Neuroticism as a personality trait is significantly associated with BPD. Brain differences between BPD and typical controls may lead to differences in their emotions and their ability to regulate emotions, which is related to their ability to control their emotional impulses. This paper illustrates the impact of adverse childhood experiences and negative parenting styles on the risk of BPD. One limitations of previous studies is that most of the studies were conducted on women, and gender differences may lead to a certain degree of bias in the exploration of influencing factors. Future studies should invetigate this topic in larger and diverse samples. This study can contribute to the design of relevant prevention and parent education programs in school.