The relationship between borderline personality features and affective responses to altering emotional context

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between borderline personality (BP) features and the ability to shift one's affective responses as emotional circumstances and demands change. A total of 86 analogue participants viewed dynamic neutral facial expressions at baseline, negative facial expressions, and immediately following neutral facial expressions. We assessed whether participants were able to change their affective ratings as the context of presented facial stimuli changed from negative to neutral. Results revealed that higher the BP feature severity, participants exhibited lower affective ratings to neutral facial stimuli following negative ones. This result remained notable even after baseline affect ratings of neutral stimuli, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and anger proneness as personality traits were controlled for. Our results imply that vulnerability in flexibly changing one's affect to situational demand can contribute to emotion dysregulation related to BP features. We add to the past research by further elucidating the constituents underlying BP features.