A bright side facet analysis of borderline personality disorder

BACKGROUND: This study looks at the “bright-side” normal, personality trait correlates of the “dark-side” Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). METHODS: Over 5000 British adults completed the NEO-PI-R which measures the Big Five Personality factors at the Domain and the Facet level, as well as the Hogan Development Survey which has a measure of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) called Excitable. RESULTS: Correlation and regression results confirmed many of the associations between these “bright” and “dark” side individual difference variables. The Excitable score from the HDS was the criterion variable in all analyses. Excitable individuals are high on Neuroticism, but also Introverted and Disagreeable. The facet analysis identified Angry Hostility, Anxiety, Depression and Vulnerability as particularly characteristic of that type. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed work on BPD using different population groups and different measures, showing that it is possible to describe personality disorders in terms of extreme scores on personality traits.