Does stress-related dissociation predict impulsivity in women with borderline personality disorder?

Acute stress-related dissociation and impulsivity are core symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Both symptoms are linked to emotional distress and non-suicidal self-injury. However, it is unclear how stress-related dissociation and impulsivity are associated in BPD and whether this association is specific to BPD. This study aimed to examine whether dissociation influences impulsivity after experimental stress induction in BPD (29 patients) compared to ADHD (29 patients) and HC (30 patients). Dissociation was measured through self-reports (DES and DSS-4), while impulsivity was assessed through self-reports (STIMP) as well as experimental response inhibition and delay discounting behavioral tasks. Stress was induced with the Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test. The BPD group reported significantly higher trait and state dissociation, before stress induction, than both the ADHD and HC groups. All groups reported significantly higher state dissociation after stress...Show moreAcute stress-related dissociation and impulsivity are core symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Both symptoms are linked to emotional distress and non-suicidal self-injury. However, it is unclear how stress-related dissociation and impulsivity are associated in BPD and whether this association is specific to BPD. This study aimed to examine whether dissociation influences impulsivity after experimental stress induction in BPD (29 patients) compared to ADHD (29 patients) and HC (30 patients). Dissociation was measured through self-reports (DES and DSS-4), while impulsivity was assessed through self-reports (STIMP) as well as experimental response inhibition and delay discounting behavioral tasks. Stress was induced with the Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test. The BPD group reported significantly higher trait and state dissociation, before stress induction, than both the ADHD and HC groups. All groups reported significantly higher state dissociation after stress induction. Nonetheless, patients with BPD reported significantly higher state dissociation after stress induction, than the ADHD and HC groups. In general, significant correlations were found between state dissociation and all three state impulsivity measures. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, however, only the correlation within the BPD group between dissociation and self-reported impulsivity remained significant. The present study, thus, underlines the considerable role stress can have in increasing acute symptoms of dissociation specifically in patients with BPD. Moreover, it supports the idea that stress-related dissociation is associated with impulsivity, as measured by how participants view themselves in self-report questionnaires. The relation between dissociation and behavioral aspects of impulsivity remains unclear.Show less

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Does stress-related dissociation predict impulsivity in women with borderline personality disorder?