Specifying the impulsivity of female inmates with borderline personality disorder.
Impulsivity is regarded as a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD; M. C. Zanarini, J. G. Gunderson, & F. R. Frankenburg, 1989) despite lack of evidence from laboratory research (D. M. Dougherty, J. M Bjork, H. C. G. Huckabee, F. G. Moeller, & A. C. Swann, 1999). This study examined impulsivity in incarcerated women with BPD using a passive avoidance task (J. P. Newman & W. A. Schmitt, 1998) and the Impulsiveness-Monotony Avoidance-Detachment inventory (IMD; D. Schalling, 1978). As predicted, incarcerated women diagnosed with BPD committed more passive avoidance errors and reported more impulsivity on the IMD than controls. These findings identify disinhibition as a potentially important component of the impulsivity that characterizes BPD. Specifying the impulsive behavior identified with BPD may contribute to the effective assessment and management of the disorder.
Hochhausen
Nicole M
NM
Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, USA.
Lorenz
Amanda R
AR
Newman
Joseph P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales