Assessment of borderline pathology using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Circumplex Scales (IIP‐C): a comparison of clinical samples

Abstract

We examined the interpersonal functioning of 74 outpatients at a university-based community clinic in a naturalistic study. Twenty-three individuals diagnosed with borderline pathology (BP) were compared with a non-BP clinical control group (n = 51). Based on previous research, we hypothesized that individuals with BP would report significantly greater overall interpersonal distress as well as greater problems associated with non-assertive, overly accommodating, selfsacrificing and intrusive/needy relational behaviours. We found that individuals with BP reported greater interpersonal distress in regard to overly accommodating, self-sacrificing and intrusive/needy relational behaviours. A trend was observed in regard to differences in overall interpersonal distress. Evaluation of the group-level circumplex profiles confirmed group homogeneity in interpersonal problem endorsement, supporting the aggregate descriptions of interpersonal style as representative of individuals within each group. The clinical utility of our results, specifically in regard to psychotherapy process and outcome as well as therapeutic alliance, will be discussed. Copyright

Patterns of Interpersonal Problems in Borderline Personality Disorder

“…In general, impairment of this social interaction is consistent with clinical experience and the literature (Gunderson et al, 2011;Stepp et al, 2009). Compared with the BPD sample studied by Hilsenroth et al (2007), this sample exhibited an even larger IIP-C total score (1.87 vs. 1.44). This difference corresponds to the fact that our study examined severely impaired patients in an inpatient setting, and the Hilsenroth et al (2007) study analyzed an outpatient sample.…”

“…Compared with the BPD sample studied by Hilsenroth et al (2007), this sample exhibited an even larger IIP-C total score (1.87 vs. 1.44). This difference corresponds to the fact that our study examined severely impaired patients in an inpatient setting, and the Hilsenroth et al (2007) study analyzed an outpatient sample. Comparison of structural summary scores for the total sample shows similar scores for Elevation (0.86 vs. 0.85) and a larger score for Amplitude in our inpatient sample (1.24 vs. 0.61).…”

“…Comparison of structural summary scores for the total sample shows similar scores for Elevation (0.86 vs. 0.85) and a larger score for Amplitude in our inpatient sample (1.24 vs. 0.61). Further, although the overall sample studied by Hilsenroth et al (2007) was located in the Exploitable octant (307.48-), the overall sample in this study was located in the Nonassertive octant (269.85-). With regard to octant scores, the Hilsenroth et al (2007) sample exhibited the highest scores in the Overly Nurturant (LM: mean, 2.05; SD, 0.80) and Exploitable (JK: mean, 1.91; SD, 0.79) scales.…”

“…Several studies have investigated interpersonal style in BPD using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP; Horowitz et al, 2000), which is based on the circumplex model of interpersonal behavior (Leary, 1957). For example, Hilsenroth et al (2007) examined interpersonal problems in BPD and observed overly affiliative and submissive relational problems in these patients. In another study, Leihener et al (2003) identified two distinct interpersonal styles in BPD, which were named ''autonomous'' and ''dependent.''…”

Psychometric Characteristics of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–Short Circumplex (IIP–SC) With College Students

“…The strong general relation of borderline features to interpersonal problems as indicated by its elevation and the projection onto the warm side of the IIP-SC as indicated by its amplitude and displacement is consistent with previous research that has associated borderline pathology with the IIP-C (e.g., Gurtman, 1996;Hilsenroth, Menaker, Peters, & Pincus, 2007).…”