title: Self-Control Capacity as a Predictor of Borderline Personality Disorder Features, Problematic Drinking, and Their Co-occurrence.
abstract: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) share impulsivity as an etiological factor. However, impulsivity is ill-defined, often overlapping with self-control capacity. This study attempts to disentangle these constructs and their associations with alcohol use and BPD. Undergraduates (n = 192) completed the Five Factor Model Rating Form, which generated two-dimensional scales of BPD, the Self-Control Scale, the UPPS-P (self-reported impulsivity), and the stop-signal and delay discounting tasks (laboratory-measured impulsivity). Self-control appeared as a major predictor of BPD features and drinking, explaining as much or more variance in outcome than impulsivity. Co-occurrence of elevated BPD features and problem drinking was also best explained by self-control. Laboratory measures of impulsivity were not correlated with BPD scales or alcohol use. Self-regulatory capacity may be an important but overlooked factor in BPD and alcohol use and should be considered alongside impulsivity in future research.
authors.forename: Benjamin N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Melinda L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ashe
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D000068356:Self-Control / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult