Emotion word repertoire in the adult attachment interview is linked to reduced suicide attempts in patients with borderline personality disorder
J. Fuchshuber,
S. Doering,
S. Schmitz-Riol,
J. Herpertz,
A. Buchheim,
S. Hörz-Sagstetter,
M. Rentrop,
M. Fischer-Kern,
P. Buchheim,
J. Taylor,
A. Tmej,
K. Weihs,
R.D. Lane
Affiliations
J. Fuchshuber
Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Center for Integrative Addiction Research (CIAR), Grüner Kreis Society, Vienna, Austria
S. Doering
Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Corresponding author. Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090, Wien, Austria.
S. Schmitz-Riol
Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
J. Herpertz
Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
A. Buchheim
Department of Clinical Psychology II, Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
S. Hörz-Sagstetter
Psychologische Hochschule Berlin (PHB), Am Köllnischen Park 2, 10179, Berlin, Germany
M. Rentrop
Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany; Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; kbo-Inn-Salzach Clinic, Wasserburg am Inn, Germany
M. Fischer-Kern
Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria
P. Buchheim
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
J. Taylor
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
A. Tmej
Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University Vienna, Austria
K. Weihs
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
R.D. Lane
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Background: This study explored the association between emotion word repertoire (EWR), attachment, reflective functioning and personality organization (PO) and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients. Methods: The current study performed a secondary data analysis from a randomized control trial for BPD patients (all female; n = 87; age: m = 27; SD = 7.42). EWR was assessed via machine-scoring transcripts of Adult Attachment Interviews (AAI) for affective words using the VETA electronic scoring software for the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS). Generated scores were related to impairments in PO (Structured Interview for Personality Organization; STIPO), attachment organization (AAI) and mentalization (Reflective Functioning Scale), general symptom severity (Brief Symptom Inventory; BSI-53), self-harm and suicidal behavior. Independent effects of the investigated predictors were studied using Bayesian path analysis. Results: Corrected for education, findings in Bayesian path analysis suggest an independent negative association between EWR and suicide attempts (BE = −.32; 95 % CI [-.51, −.12]) and positive associations of deficits in PO with psychiatric symptoms (BE = .23; 95 % CI [.01, .44]) as well as suicide attempts (BE = .30; 95 % CI [.08, .49]). Discussion: The findings underscore the potential role of high EWR and PO as a protective factor for suicidal behavior in individuals with BPD.
