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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

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Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research

Parental rearing and psychopathology in mothers of adolescents with and without borderline personality symptoms

Authors: H Marieke Schuppert, Casper J Albers, Ruud B Minderaa, Paul MG Emmelkamp, Maaike H Nauta

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2012

Abstract

Background

A combination of multiple factors, including a strong genetic predisposition and environmental factors, are considered to contribute to the developmental pathways to borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, these factors have mostly been investigated retrospectively, and hardly in adolescents. The current study focuses on maternal factors in BPD features in adolescence.

Methods

Actual parenting was investigated in a group of referred adolescents with BPD features (N = 101) and a healthy control group (N = 44). Self-reports of perceived concurrent parenting were completed by the adolescents. Questionnaires on parental psychopathology (both Axis I and Axis II disorders) were completed by their mothers.

Results

Adolescents reported significantly less emotional warmth, more rejection and more overprotection from their mothers in the BPD-group than in the control group. Mothers in the BPD group reported significantly more parenting stress compared to mothers in the control group. Also, these mothers showed significantly more general psychopathology and clusters C personality traits than mothers in the control group. Contrary to expectations, mothers of adolescents with BPD features reported the same level of cluster B personality traits, compared to mothers in the control group. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that parental rearing styles (less emotional warmth, and more overprotection) and general psychopathology of the mother were the strongest factors differentiating between controls and adolescents with BPD symptoms.

Conclusions

Adolescents with BPD features experience less emotional warmth and more overprotection from their mothers, while the mothers themselves report more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Addition of family interventions to treatment programs for adolescents might increase the effectiveness of such early interventions, and prevent the adverse outcome that is often seen in adult BPD patients.

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Title: Parental rearing and psychopathology in mothers of adolescents with and without borderline personality symptoms
Authors: H Marieke Schuppert
Casper J Albers
Ruud B Minderaa
Paul MG Emmelkamp
Maaike H Nauta
Publication date: 01-12-2012
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1753-2000-6-29

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Parental rearing and psychopathology in mothers of adolescents with and without borderline personality symptoms

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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