title: The distinguishing characteristics of narrative identity in adults with features of borderline personality disorder: an empirical investigation.
abstract: While identity disturbance has long been considered one of the defining features of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the present study marks only the third empirical investigation to assess it and the first to do so from the perspective of research on narrative identity. Drawing on the rich tradition of studying narrative identity, the present study examined identity disturbance in a group of 40 mid-life adults, 20 with features of BPD and a matched sample of 20 without BPD. Extensive life story interviews were analyzed for a variety of narrative elements and the themes of agency, communion fulfillment (but not communion), and narrative coherence significantly distinguished the stories of those people with features of BPD from those without the disorder. In addition, associations between the theme of agency and psychopathology were evident six and twelve months following the life story interview. This study seeks to bridge the mutually-informative fields of research on personality disorders and normal identity processes.
authors.affiliation: Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Milas Hall 368, Olin Way, Needham, MA 02446, USA. jadler@olin.edu
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Erica D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Aiswarya P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kolisetty
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Oltmanns
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D036262:Empirical Research; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007063:Identity Crisis; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires