The interplay between disinhibition and Present-Hedonistic time perspective in the relation between Borderline Personality Organization and depressive symptoms

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the moderating effect between borderline personality organization (BPO) and depressive symptoms of factors associated with impulsive behavior – Present-Hedonistic time perspective and Disinhibition. The research sample consisted of 720 adults from Poland (518 females), who participated in a survey through the research panel. In the case of low levels of Disinhibition, the positive relationship between borderline and depressive symptoms is stronger in people with low hedonism than in people with high hedonism. In this sense, low Disinhibition constitutes a conditio sine qua non of the buffering role of hedonism between BPO and depressive symptoms. We discuss possible explanations for this result and relevance to the psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatment of individuals with BPO. By eliminating hedonistic behavior (e.g. in the psychotherapy process) borderline patients could experience elevated levels of depression; therefore, this should be addressed in the treatment process.