title: Alexithymia as a mediator between attachment and the development of borderline personality disorder in adolescence.
abstract: Insecure attachment and the inability to identify emotions have both been put forward as possible explanations for dysfunction of the emotional system in borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study aimed to test a model according to which the influence of attachment on the development of BPD in adolescence is mediated by alexithymia. Borderline severity was assessed by means of the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders. Attachment and alexithymia were measured respectively with the Relationship Styles Questionnaire and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Mediation analyses conducted on 105 participants (54 with BPD and 51 matched controls) suggest that the role of security and negative model of self (i.e., preoccupied and fearful attachment styles) in the development of BPD symptoms are mediated by alexithymia.
authors.affiliation: CRAC-Laboratoire Paragraphe EA 349, Paris 8 University, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Deborde
authors.forename: Raphaële
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miljkovitch
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dugré-Le Bigre
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pham-Scottez
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Speranza
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corcos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires