Autobiographical memories as a window into affect, identity and relationship deficits in borderline personality disorder: A controlled investigation.

Objectives: Early childhood autobiographical memories told by people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may provide insight into emotional, identity and interpersonal functioning deficits underlying the disorder. We aimed to analyse verbatim transcripts of these memories coded by the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) and Experiencing Scale (EXP).

Design: This study employed a controlled, between-subjects study design.

Methods: Sixty-four individuals (32 with diagnosed BPD and 32 age- and gender-matched controls) were interviewed to generate autobiographical memories using the Adult Attachment Interview. The CCRT method was used to identify themes within relationships and was coded for self (identity) and other (interpersonal) processes, and the EXP scored capacity to communicate internal emotional experiences.

Results: Significant differences were found between BPD and Control participants in their emotional, interpersonal and self-perceptions within autobiographical events. BPD self-descriptions were more psychologically rigid, with significantly lower EXP scores, suggesting poorer capacity to verbalize and emotionally integrate internal experiences and relationships. In addition, BPD participants' CCRTs had significantly less harmonious language, experiencing others as more attacking and less supportive and the self as more withdrawn and determined by others. Impairments were marked by a more helpless external locus of control in relationships.

Conclusions: Studying autobiographical narratives provided specific insight into core underlying deficits of BPD. Specifically, individuals with BPD may have more challenges in developing trust, fostering agency and managing negative expectations. The use of autobiographical memory recall to help inform individuals' relationship themes and internal emotional awareness could help tailor treatment for BPD.