Autobiographical memories as a window into affect, identity and relationship deficits in borderline personality disorder: A controlled investigation.

Objectives: Early childhood autobiographical memories told by people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may provide insight into emotional, identity and interpersonal functioning deficits underlying the disorder. We aimed to analyse verbatim transcripts of these memories coded by the Core Co...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:British Journal of Clinical Psychology Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 160 - 180
Autores principales: Matthews, Emily L., Marceau, Ely M., Grenyer, Brin F. S.
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Mar2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=191490818&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 191490818
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        01446657
        99B
      jtl: British Journal of Clinical Psychology
      issn: 01446657
      maglogo: Y
    pubinfo:
      dt: Mar2026
      vid: 65
      iid: 1
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
    artinfo:
      ui:
        191490818
        187496208
        191490818
        191490818
        10.1111/bjc.70011
        191490818
      ppf: 160
      ppct: 20
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: C
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Autobiographical memories as a window into affect, identity and relationship deficits in borderline personality disorder: A controlled investigation.
      aug:
        au:
          Matthews, Emily L.
          Marceau, Ely M.
          Grenyer, Brin F. S.
        affil: School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong New South Wales, , Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Borderline Personality Disorder Psychosocial Factors
          Autobiographical Memory
          Affect
          Self Concept
          Interpersonal Relations
          Attachment Behavior
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Case Control Studies
          Descriptive Statistics
          kappa Statistic
          Interrater Reliability
          T-Tests
          Mann-Whitney U Test
          Multiple Linear Regression
          Data Analysis Software
          Emotions
          Personality
          Helplessness, Learned
          Trust
          Positive Psychology
          Conflict (Psychology)
          Psychiatric Patients
          Interview Guides
          Questionnaires
          Scales
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Objectives: Early childhood autobiographical memories told by people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may provide insight into emotional, identity and interpersonal functioning deficits underlying the disorder. We aimed to analyse verbatim transcripts of these memories coded by the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) and Experiencing Scale (EXP). Design: This study employed a controlled, between‐subjects study design. Methods: Sixty‐four individuals (32 with diagnosed BPD and 32 age‐ and gender‐matched controls) were interviewed to generate autobiographical memories using the Adult Attachment Interview. The CCRT method was used to identify themes within relationships and was coded for self (identity) and other (interpersonal) processes, and the EXP scored capacity to communicate internal emotional experiences. Results: Significant differences were found between BPD and Control participants in their emotional, interpersonal and self‐perceptions within autobiographical events. BPD self‐descriptions were more psychologically rigid, with significantly lower EXP scores, suggesting poorer capacity to verbalize and emotionally integrate internal experiences and relationships. In addition, BPD participants' CCRTs had significantly less harmonious language, experiencing others as more attacking and less supportive and the self as more withdrawn and determined by others. Impairments were marked by a more helpless external locus of control in relationships. Conclusions: Studying autobiographical narratives provided specific insight into core underlying deficits of BPD. Specifically, individuals with BPD may have more challenges in developing trust, fostering agency and managing negative expectations. The use of autobiographical memory recall to help inform individuals' relationship themes and internal emotional awareness could help tailor treatment for BPD.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N