Being bullied in childhood: correlations with borderline personality in adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to explore correlations between a history of being bullied in childhood and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adulthood, several externalizing behaviors, and mental health care utilization.


METHODS
Using a cross-sectional consecutive sample of internal medicine outpatients (N = 414), we examined the relationship between history of being bullied in childhood and 2 measures of BPD: the borderline personality scale of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4 and the Self-Harm Inventory. We also explored whether having ever been bullied was related to a number of externalizing behaviors (eg, rage reactions, road rage, excessive spending, alcohol and substance misuse, binge eating) as well as greater mental health care utilization.


RESULTS
In this study, a history of being bullied in childhood demonstrated statistically significant correlations with both measures of BPD as well as a number of externalizing behaviors and the measures for mental health care utilization.


CONCLUSIONS
A history of being bullied in childhood demonstrates a positive correlation with BPD in adulthood, externalizing behaviors, and mental health care utilization. Although this does not necessarily imply causality, the nature of this relationship warrants further investigation.
Sansone
Randy A
RA
Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, USA. randy.sansone@khnetwork.org
Lam
Charlene
C
Wiederman
Michael W
MW
D000328:Adult; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States