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Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and Implicit Suicidality

Winchester, Andrea Nicole

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
Emotion dysregulation and frequent suicidal behaviors are defining features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). In fact, emotion dysregulation is critical to the utilization and maintenance of suicide attempts (Gross, 1998a; Gross, 1998b; Linehan, 1993; McMain et al., 2001). Traditionally, clinicians have utilized explicit self-report measures to determine suicidality despite findings that 78% of patients explicitly deny suicidal ideation before completing suicide (Busch, Fawcett, & Jacobs, 2003). Nock et al. (2010) developed and evaluated a version of the implicit association test (IAT) that measures implicit associations of self with death/suicide: The Death/Suicide IAT (DS-IAT). Research is needed to test if the DS-IAT can predict implicit suicidality of individuals with symptoms of BPD and if emotion dysregulation mediates this relationship. Analyses were conducted using data gathered from 83 male and female undergraduate students at a private Midwestern university who completed the DS-IAT, a measure of specific subjective impairments typically experienced by individuals with BPD, and a measure of difficulties in emotion regulation. Results demonstrated a significant relationship between BPD symptoms and implicit suicidality as well as BPD symptoms and emotion dysregulation. However, results indicated no significant relationship between emotion dysregulation and implicit suicidality. Post hoc analyses examining specific domains of emotion dysregulation demonstrated that nonacceptance of emotional responses was a mediator of the relationship between BPD symptoms and implicit suicidality.
Nicholas Salsman, Ph.D (Committee Chair)
Cynthia Dulaney, Ph.D (Committee Member)
Christian End, Ph.D (Committee Member)
52 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Winchester, A. N. (2015). Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and Implicit Suicidality [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1430430830

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Winchester, Andrea. Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and Implicit Suicidality. 2015. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1430430830.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Winchester, Andrea. "Emotion Dysregulation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and Implicit Suicidality." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1430430830

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)