The role of dissociation in patients with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and adverse attachment experiences

Abstract

In literature, the link between childhood abuse stories, trauma, unresolved attachment and psychopathological manifestations characterized by the presence of significant dissociative symptoms are well documented. The treatment of this kind of clinical pictures is very problematic because of dysfunctional relational dynamics acted by patients. As we know, borderline personality disorder patients and those with unresolved attachment show poor emotion regulation. About that, a very recent study found an alteration of the neural mechanism involved in the top-down control process of emotional distress both in BPD patients and in those with unresolved attachment. In this context, to make an accurate psychological assessment is essential to define and understand the overall patient functioning and identify the most appropriate therapeutic strategies. In this study, we have selected 22 women characterized by a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, dissociative experiences and childhood abuse stories. The psycho-diagnostic examination of this sample involved the use of the following tools: Rorschach, MMPI-2, WAIS-R and drawing tests. Consistent with the literature, the outcomes confirmed the presence of response patterns related to trauma, abuse stories and dissociation in both Rorschach and MMPI-2. At the same time, in a significant portion of the sample, we have found an intact cognitive functioning; this aspect, as showed by other authors, highlights the adaptive function of the defensive mechanism of dissociation.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.