Borderline personality disorder and sexuality: causes and consequences of dissociative symptoms.
Borderline personality disorder
Child sexual abuse
Dissociation
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Sexual risk behavior
Journal
Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation
ISSN: 2051-6673
Titre abrégé: Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101650634
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
19 Mar 2024
19 Mar 2024
Historique:
received:
16
11
2023
accepted:
05
03
2024
medline:
19
3
2024
pubmed:
19
3
2024
entrez:
19
3
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Sexual risk behavior in patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is supposed to be associated with traumatic experiences and dissociative symptoms. Nevertheless, scientific research thereon is scarce which might be due to the high prevalence of sexual trauma and fear of overwhelming patients with explicit sexual content. We investigated a clinical sample of patients diagnosed with BPD (n = 114) and compared them to a sample of matched healthy controls (HC) (n = 114) concerning the dissociative symptoms derealization, depersonalization, and conversion in sexual situations. In a subgroup of patients with BPD (n = 41) and matched HC (n = 40) dissociative symptoms after exposure to an acoustically presented erotic narrative were assessed in the lab. Regression analyses were used to examine the associations between sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation in sexual situations, and risky sexual behavior. Patients diagnosed with BPD endorsed higher dissociative symptoms in sexual situations retrospectively and in the lab compared to HC. Regression analyses revealed that depersonalization and conversion symptoms in sexual situations were explained by severity of BPD, while derealization was explained by PTSD symptomatology. Impulsive and sexual behavior with an uncommitted partner were higher in the BPD group and explained by derealization, while conversion showed an inverse association. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing distinct dissociative symptoms in sexual situations when counselling and treating women with BPD. In the long term, this could contribute to a reduction in sexual risk behavior in patients with BPD. This analysis is part of a larger ongoing study and was registered prior to accessing the data (Registration trial DRKS00029716).
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Sexual risk behavior in patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) is supposed to be associated with traumatic experiences and dissociative symptoms. Nevertheless, scientific research thereon is scarce which might be due to the high prevalence of sexual trauma and fear of overwhelming patients with explicit sexual content.
METHODS
METHODS
We investigated a clinical sample of patients diagnosed with BPD (n = 114) and compared them to a sample of matched healthy controls (HC) (n = 114) concerning the dissociative symptoms derealization, depersonalization, and conversion in sexual situations. In a subgroup of patients with BPD (n = 41) and matched HC (n = 40) dissociative symptoms after exposure to an acoustically presented erotic narrative were assessed in the lab. Regression analyses were used to examine the associations between sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation in sexual situations, and risky sexual behavior.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Patients diagnosed with BPD endorsed higher dissociative symptoms in sexual situations retrospectively and in the lab compared to HC. Regression analyses revealed that depersonalization and conversion symptoms in sexual situations were explained by severity of BPD, while derealization was explained by PTSD symptomatology. Impulsive and sexual behavior with an uncommitted partner were higher in the BPD group and explained by derealization, while conversion showed an inverse association.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings highlight the importance of addressing distinct dissociative symptoms in sexual situations when counselling and treating women with BPD. In the long term, this could contribute to a reduction in sexual risk behavior in patients with BPD.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
BACKGROUND
This analysis is part of a larger ongoing study and was registered prior to accessing the data (Registration trial DRKS00029716).
Identifiants
pubmed: 38500169
doi: 10.1186/s40479-024-00251-6
pii: 10.1186/s40479-024-00251-6
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
8Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
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