Borderline personality disorder and its effect on relationships, emotional dysregulation, gender and age differences

Abstract

Introduction. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by unstable moods, interpersonal relationships, and self-image. It falls within Cluster B of personality disorders, which are characterized by dramatic, erratic, and emotional behaviors. The disorder affects 0,5% to 5,9% of the general population, and the etiology involves both genetic and environmental factors, with adverse life events playing a significant role. BPD is often treated through psychotherapy, particularly dialectical behavioral therapy, and pharma-cological interventions may be used with caution.

Aim. The aim is to systematically review and synthesize the current literature on BPD by examining its impact on interpersonal relationships, understanding its association with emo-tional dysregulation, and exploring gender- and age differences in its manifestation.

Methods. A search was performed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases. Inclusion criteria as “articles focused on individuals with formal BPD diagnosis”,” Articles from year 2000 up to today”,” Reliable instrument tools” and” Articles in English” were applied. Ex-clusion criteria includes” articles published prior to year 2000”,” non-English studies” and “other personality disorders”. Using keywords as” Borderline personality disorder” or” BPD” a total number of 27897 articles were obtained. Keywords such as “Interpersonal rela-tionships”,” Emotional dysregulation”,” Gender differences”, and “Age-differences” were added. Among them 41 articles were suitable for the review, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results. The results have shown that individuals with BPD experience significant difficulties in interpersonal relationships, characterized by conflict and emotional instability, mostly due to attachment vulnerabilities and emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation contrib-utes to maladaptive behaviors such as impulsivity and self-harm. Gender differences are dis-played by women showing more internalized impulsivity and emotional instability, while men show externalized behaviors. Studies on age differences show that while impulsivity decreas-es with age, interpersonal challenges and emotional instability persist.

Conclusions. Research on this topic has indicated that BPD negatively impacts interpersonal relationships and is strongly associated with emotional dysregulation. Gender and age play a significant role in the presentation of clinical symptoms, with variations in aggression, im-pulsivity, and emotional instability. Early diagnosis and specific therapeutic strategies are key to addressing these challenges in different demographic groups.