The development of borderline personality disorder in adults : a response to childhood adversities

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder is characterised by a prevalent pattern of instability and is associated with high risk of suicide, self-harm, and other comorbid psychiatric disorders. Childhood adversities are stressors that happen frequently to a child that cause continuous suffering during their early life. These factors have a devastating effect in the child development and has life-long consequences on the individual’s mental health. This stress could lead to the development of other mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate if childhood adversities could impact or trigger the development of borderline personality disorder during adulthood. To undergo this study a PEO question was formulated: Do childhood adversities/trigger/impact/affect the development of borderline personality disorder in adults? A thorough search was carried out to obtain the most possible relevant literature. Several criteria and filters like age, research design, year of publication and others were used to narrow the search to the final five articles. These were then critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool (JBI), the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool (CASP) tool and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis tool (PRISMA) according to the research design. The findings illustrate that childhood adversities contribute to the development of borderline personality in adulthood. Recommendations for research, education, practice, management, and policy change were made; also including several strategies on how one can disseminate the findings. The strengths and limitations of this study were also mentioned.