title: Thought suppression mediates the relationship between negative affect and borderline personality disorder symptoms.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among negative affect, childhood sexual abuse (CSA), thought suppression, and diagnostic symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a community sample (n=127). Findings suggest that the temperamental variable negative affect intensity/reactivity was a stronger predictor of BPD symptoms than CSA. In addition, results indicated that higher thought suppression mediated the relationship between negative affective intensity/reactivity and BPD symptoms, after controlling for a history of CSA. Overall, findings suggest that (a) negative affectivity may be a better predictor of BPD symptoms than CSA, and (b) chronic efforts to suppress unpleasant thoughts may be a regulation strategy underlying the relationship between intense negative emotions and BPD symptoms.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, 2213 Elba Street, Box 3026, Durham, NC 27710, USA. rosen025@mc.duke.edu
authors: M Zachary
authors: MZ
authors: Rosenthal
authors: Jennifer S
authors: JS
authors: Cheavens
authors: Carl W
authors: CW
authors: Lejuez
authors: Thomas R
authors: TR
authors: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013850:Thinking