[The impact of Leary's interpersonal relationships and attachment styles in the background of suicide attempts in borderline personality disorder].

Abstract

Background and purpose: Nowadays ever more studies are devoted to the causes and background of suicide attempts by psychiatric patients. The research results so far show that the motivations behind borderline suicidality are also closely related to attachment patterns. In addition, many investigations are also directed at the disturbance of interpersonal relationships in this context. Recently, the examination of the disturbance of interpersonal relations as a risk factor has received significant emphasis. The present research aims to explore the mediating effect of Leary's interpersonal relationships in relation to attachment styles and suicidality in borderline personality disorder.

Methods: Our compiled questionnaire package was administered in the form of a paper-and-pencil test at the Traumatology Center, Crisis Intervention and Psychiatry Department, Toxicology Department and Crisis Ambulance of Péterfy Sándor Hospital with a sample of borderline patients (N = 213; 155 female, 58 male; M age = 38.16, SD age = 13.40) who underwent suicide attempts. Attachment styles were defined by the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) and the Adult Attachment Scale (AAS), while the interpersonal relationships were assessed using Leary's Interpersonal Checklist. We tested the direct and indirect effects between the variables using structural path analysis.

Results: All attachment forms had a significant direct effect on the Managerial-Autocratic (AP) category (secure: ß = 0.32; p < 0.5; preoccupied: ß = 0.53; p < 0.5; dismissing: ß = 0.34; p.

Conclusion: In the background of the development of borderline suicidality, the disturbance of interpersonal relationships, especially the Rebellious-Distrustful (FG) category, and the risk factors behind suicidal behavior have a stronger efficacy than the attachment styles themselves. Attachment forms can exert their influence on borderline suicidality through mediating effect of interpersonal relationships.