The Mediating Role of Personality Organization in the Relationship between Childhood Maltreatment and Borderline Personality Symptoms

Borderline personality disorder is one of the most costly mental disorders that lead to the loss of clinical and social resources, and due to the high costs, it is necessary to investigate the effective factors in the creation and continuation of borderline personality traits. This study was aimed to investigate the mediating role of personality organization in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and borderline personality symptoms.

Methods and Materials: 

The statistical society of this study consisted of all students aged 18 to 45 years of Islamic Azad University of Mashhad (N = 32000) in the period from January to March 2022. The research sample consisted of 451 students who were selected by convenience sampling method and completed the childhood trauma questionnaire, personality organization questionnaire and borderline personality scale. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method with the help of SPSS version 24 and LISREL 8.8 statistical software.

The findings showed that the direct path of childhood maltreatment to personality organization was positive and significant and to borderline personality symptoms was positive and non-significant. The direct path of personality organization to borderline personality symptoms was positive and significant. Additionally, the indirect relationship between childhood maltreatment and borderline personality symptoms was found to be mediated by personality organization.

The findings support the mediating role of personality organization in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and borderline personality symptoms. These findings showed that personality organization can play an indirect role in enhancing the effects of childhood maltreatment on borderline personality symptoms. Strengthening positive psychological characteristics and reducing risk factors, including traumatic childhood environments, and designing and using intervention programs can help reduce the symptoms of borderline personality.