The Cognitive, Ecological, and Developmental Origins of Self-Disturbance in Borderline Personality Disorder

Abstract

Self-disturbance is recognized as a key symptom of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Although it is the source of significant distress and significant costs to society, it is still poorly specified. In addition, current research and models on the etiology of BPD do not provide sufficient evidence or predictions about who is at risk of developing BPD and self-disturbance, and why. The aim of this review is to lay the foundations of a new model inspired by recent developments at the intersection of social cognition, behavioral ecology, and developmental biology. We argue that the sense of agency is an important dimension to consider when characterizing self-disturbances in BPD. Second, we address the poorly characterized relation between self-disturbances and adverse life conditions encountered early in life. We highlight the potential relevance of Life-History Theory—a major framework in evolutionary developmental biology—to make sense of this association. We put forward the idea that the effect of early life adversity on BPD symptomatology depends on the way individuals trade their limited resources between competing biological functions during development.

Homo Developmentalis: An evolutionary proposal relevant for child and adolescent mental health

“…We put forward the idea that the effect of early life adversity on BPD symptomatology depends on the way individuals trade their limited resources between competing biological functions during development. The available literature supports this hypothesis, as BDP seems to share the main characteristics found in the fast style of the "life history style" theory [38]. However, in contrast to externalizing disorders such as conduct disorder, in which impulse control and executive functions may be altered, it appears in BDP that interpersonal hypersensitivity, insecure attachment, identity disturbance, emotion dysregulation are also significant psychological dimensions.…”

Evolutionary approaches and psychopathology: Life history theory and psychobiological systems for borderline personality disorder

“…Una fortaleza y oportunidad de estas propuestas es su consistencia con perspectivas multicausales, multidireccionales y multidimensionales, situadas en miradas bioecológicas del comportamiento y el desarrollo humano (Richardson et al, 2019), que a su vez se orientan a la identificación de las variables evolutivas y psicobiológicas que subyacen las diferencias individuales comunes a problemas de salud mental (e. g., Belsky et al, 1991). Adicionalmente, como lo indica Baptista et al (2021), se crea la posibilidad de desarrollar programas de prevención e intervención específicos para distintos momentos del desarrollo desde el conocimiento de las trayectorias de desarrollo de trastornos como el TLP. Todos estos avances teóricos e investigativos sugieren que aproximaciones metateóricas evolutivas seguirán teniendo un potencial heurístico enorme para la comprensión de la psicopatología y el mejoramiento de la eficacia psicoterapéutica.…”

Sympathy-Empathy and the Radicalization of Young People

“…In addition, individual vulnerabilities may also increase this trend. As the development of self-consciousness is closely linked with self-emotional development, SOD has been shown to be disturbed in some psychopathologies such as borderline personality disorder [ 78 ]. Collusion between adolescence and radicalization.…”