Yun Seokho, Jo So-Hye, Jeon Hye-Jin, Kim Hye-Geum, Cheon Eun-Jin, Koo Bon-Hoon
Department of Psychiatry, Yeungnam University Hospital, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Psychiatry Investig. 2024 Jun;21(6):672-679. doi: 10.30773/pi.2024.0085. Epub 2024 Jun 24.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is known to share characteristics with a variety of personality disorders (PDs) and exhibits diverse patterns of defense mechanisms. To enhance our understanding of BPD, it's crucial to shift our focus from traditional categorical diagnostics to the dimensional traits shared with other PDs, as the borderline personality organization (BPO) model suggests. This approach illuminates the nuanced spectrum of BPD characteristics, offering deeper insights into its complexity. While studies have investigated the comorbidity of BPD with other PDs, research exploring the relationship between various personality factors and defense mechanisms within BPD itself has been scarce. The present study was undertaken to investigate the complex interrelationships between various personality factors and defense styles in individuals diagnosed with BPD.
Using a network analysis approach, data from 227 patients diagnosed with BPD were examined using the Defense Style Questionnaire and Personality Disorder Questionnaire-4+ for assessment.
Intricate connections were observed between personality factors and defense styles. Significant associations were identified between various personality factors and defense styles, with immature defense styles, such as maladaptive and image-distorting being particularly prominent in BPD in the centrality analysis. The maladaptive defense style had the highest expected influence centrality. Furthermore, the schizotypal, dependent, and narcissistic personality factors demonstrated relatively high centrality within the network.
Network analysis can effectively delineate the complexity of various PDs and defense styles. These findings are expected to facilitate a deeper understanding of why BPD exhibits various levels of organization and presents with heterogeneous characteristics, consistent with the perspectives proposed by the BPO.
已知边缘型人格障碍（BPD）与多种人格障碍（PDs）具有共同特征，并表现出多样的防御机制模式。正如边缘型人格组织（BPO）模型所表明的，为了加强我们对BPD的理解，将重点从传统的分类诊断转向与其他PDs共有的维度特征至关重要。这种方法阐明了BPD特征的细微差别，为其复杂性提供了更深入的见解。虽然已有研究调查了BPD与其他PDs的共病情况，但探索BPD自身内部各种人格因素与防御机制之间关系的研究却很少。本研究旨在调查被诊断为BPD的个体中各种人格因素与防御方式之间的复杂相互关系。
采用网络分析方法，使用防御方式问卷和人格障碍问卷-4+对227名被诊断为BPD的患者的数据进行评估。
观察到人格因素与防御方式之间存在复杂的联系。在中心性分析中，各种人格因素与防御方式之间存在显著关联，其中不成熟的防御方式，如适应不良和形象扭曲在BPD中尤为突出。适应不良防御方式具有最高的预期影响中心性。此外，分裂型、依赖型和自恋型人格因素在网络中表现出相对较高的中心性。
网络分析可以有效地描绘各种PDs和防御方式的复杂性。这些发现有望促进对BPD为何表现出不同程度的组织性并呈现出异质性特征的更深入理解，这与BPO提出的观点一致。
