title: Affective instability as a clinical feature of avoidant personality disorder.
abstract: The current study's main goal was to examine whether affective instability is elevated among individuals suffering from avoidant personality disorder (APD) by comparing it to the affective instability found among individuals suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) as well that found among healthy controls. Adults (N = 152, aged 18-65 years) with BPD, APD, or no psychopathology participated in a 3-week computerized diary study. We examined temporal instability in negative affect using experience-sampling methods. Both within and between days, individuals with APD showed greater affective instability compared to the healthy control individuals, although less affective instability compared to individuals with BPD. The findings are in line with affective instability (or emotional lability) as a key dimension relevant across personality disorders. Additionally, they emphasize the need for research and clinical attention to affective characteristics (alongside the more readily recognized interpersonal characteristics) of APD. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University.
authors: Avigal
authors: A
authors: Snir
authors: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University.
authors: Eran
authors: E
authors: Bar-Kalifa
authors: Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College.
authors: Kathy R
authors: KR
authors: Berenson
authors: Department of Psychology, Columbia University.
authors: Geraldine
authors: G
authors: Downey
authors: Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University.
authors: Eshkol
authors: 0000-0002-1226-9678
authors: E
authors: Rafaeli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult