The Relationship Between Child Abuse and BPD

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Child Abuse?Child Abuse and BPDHow Abuse Leads to BPDBPD and the AbusedWhat the Research Says

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Child Abuse?

Child Abuse and BPD

How Abuse Leads to BPD

BPD and the Abused

What the Research Says

Close

Does child abuse causeborderline personality disorder(BPD)? There is no simple answer. In fact, we don’t yet know exactly what causes BPD, though it is believed to be a mix of biological and environmental factors.

There is evidence that people with BPD are more likely to report a history of some type of child abuse or other distressing childhood experiences. Yet many people who have experienced child abuse do not have BPD and many people with BPD were not abused or maltreated as children.

The term “child abuse” covers a wide range of mental and physical injuries done to a minor. Experts generally assign a set of experiences to this category:

A large percentage of people with BDP report experiencing child abuse during their childhoods.

Forty to 76% of people with BPD report that they were sexually abused as children, and 25% to 73% report that they were physically abused. So, while there is a good deal of research that links childhood abuse to BPD, there is also evidence that about a third of people with BPD report no abuse.

Other forms of abuse can be more passive, such as in the case of physical neglect where the child is denied basic necessities, like food or water. There is also emotional neglect, where a child’s emotional needs are ignored.

No form of abuse is necessarily considered more severe than another; all forms of abuse can have long-lasting implications for the person and can shape their mental state. Both child abuse and neglect can be related to the development of psychological disorders. Sometimes the term “child maltreatment” is used to describe both abuse and neglect of children.

Research does indicate that there is a relationship between child abuse and borderline personality disorder (BPD). People with BPD report high rates of childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and/or physical abuse.

There is also evidence to link BPD to other forms of child maltreatment, such as emotional and physical neglect. In fact, some research suggests that emotional and physical neglect may be even more closely related to the development of BPD than physical or sexual abuse. However, this is difficult to determine, since children who experience abuse also often experience some form of neglect.

How Abuse Might Lead to BPD

If childhood abuse is a risk factor for BPD, what are the ways in which these childhood experiences lead to the development of BPD?

A 2016 study found thatemotional abusespecifically may play a role in the development of BPD and that preoccupied adult attachment may be a mediator between the abuse and BPD.

Other studies have likewise investigated the role of emotional abuse in subsequent BPD diagnosis. While these studies are important in looking for causes that may be preventable, they are also helpful in determining how treatment may help people currently coping with the disorder, in particular, how approaches involving emotion regulation may especially be of benefit.

In addition to emotional abuse,emotional invalidationhas also been tied to BPD, though it could be argued that aninvalidating environmentis a form of emotional abuse.

BPD and Those Who Experience Abuse

When comparing the symptoms of BPD in those who were abused as children and those who were not, it’s been found that sexual abuse in childhood specifically appears to be linked to an increased risk of suicidal attempts in people with BPD.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Research has fairly conclusively demonstrated a relationship between BPD and childhood maltreatment. That said, there is no clear evidence that maltreatment causes BPD.

Research that demonstrates an association between two things doesn’t necessarily prove that there is a cause between them. Clearly, withchild abuse statisticsindicating that abuse is much more common than we would think, it is important to determine whether or not it is one of thecauses of borderline personality disorder.

More research is needed to evaluate the precise relationships between childhood abuse and BPD, and if abuse is a cause, what types of child maltreatment are most closely associated with the development of BPD.

It’s likely that BPD is related to the combination of a number of different factors, includinggenetic factors,temperament, biology, and other environmental considerations.

A Word From Verywell

BPD is a highly misunderstood disease. If you are living with BPD or know someone living with the disorder, take the time to learn what you can. Contrary to popular opinion, BPD is treatable, and those living with it can live meaningful lives.

Signs and Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Borderline Personality Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Child Abuse and Neglect. National Center for Biotechnology Information.Merza K, Papp G, Kuritárné Szabó I.The role of childhood traumatization in the development of borderline personality disorder in Hungary.Eur J Psychiatry. 2015;29(2):105-118. doi:10.4321/s0213-61632015000200002Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Rosenstein LK, Ellison WD, Walsh E, Chelminski I, Dalrymple K, Zimmerman M.The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the connection between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality features.Personal Disord. 2018;9(6):590-594. doi:10.1037/per0000294Soloff P, Feske U, Fabio A.Mediators of the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.J Pers Disord. 2008;22(3):221-232. doi:10.1521/pedi.2008.22.3.221Singh MM, Parsekar SS, Nair SN.An epidemiological overview of child sexual abuse.J Family Med Prim Care. 2014;3(4):430-5. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148139Additional ReadingFrias A, Palma C, Farriols N, Gonzalez L, Horta A.Anxious adult attachment may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2016;10(4):274-284. doi:10.1002/pmh.1348Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Borderline Personality Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Child Abuse and Neglect. National Center for Biotechnology Information.Merza K, Papp G, Kuritárné Szabó I.The role of childhood traumatization in the development of borderline personality disorder in Hungary.Eur J Psychiatry. 2015;29(2):105-118. doi:10.4321/s0213-61632015000200002Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Rosenstein LK, Ellison WD, Walsh E, Chelminski I, Dalrymple K, Zimmerman M.The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the connection between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality features.Personal Disord. 2018;9(6):590-594. doi:10.1037/per0000294Soloff P, Feske U, Fabio A.Mediators of the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.J Pers Disord. 2008;22(3):221-232. doi:10.1521/pedi.2008.22.3.221Singh MM, Parsekar SS, Nair SN.An epidemiological overview of child sexual abuse.J Family Med Prim Care. 2014;3(4):430-5. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148139Additional ReadingFrias A, Palma C, Farriols N, Gonzalez L, Horta A.Anxious adult attachment may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2016;10(4):274-284. doi:10.1002/pmh.1348Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Borderline Personality Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.Child Abuse and Neglect. National Center for Biotechnology Information.Merza K, Papp G, Kuritárné Szabó I.The role of childhood traumatization in the development of borderline personality disorder in Hungary.Eur J Psychiatry. 2015;29(2):105-118. doi:10.4321/s0213-61632015000200002Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Rosenstein LK, Ellison WD, Walsh E, Chelminski I, Dalrymple K, Zimmerman M.The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the connection between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality features.Personal Disord. 2018;9(6):590-594. doi:10.1037/per0000294Soloff P, Feske U, Fabio A.Mediators of the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.J Pers Disord. 2008;22(3):221-232. doi:10.1521/pedi.2008.22.3.221Singh MM, Parsekar SS, Nair SN.An epidemiological overview of child sexual abuse.J Family Med Prim Care. 2014;3(4):430-5. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148139

Borderline Personality Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health.

Child Abuse and Neglect. National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Merza K, Papp G, Kuritárné Szabó I.The role of childhood traumatization in the development of borderline personality disorder in Hungary.Eur J Psychiatry. 2015;29(2):105-118. doi:10.4321/s0213-61632015000200002

Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389

Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008

Rosenstein LK, Ellison WD, Walsh E, Chelminski I, Dalrymple K, Zimmerman M.The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the connection between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality features.Personal Disord. 2018;9(6):590-594. doi:10.1037/per0000294

Soloff P, Feske U, Fabio A.Mediators of the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and suicidal behavior in borderline personality disorder.J Pers Disord. 2008;22(3):221-232. doi:10.1521/pedi.2008.22.3.221

Singh MM, Parsekar SS, Nair SN.An epidemiological overview of child sexual abuse.J Family Med Prim Care. 2014;3(4):430-5. doi:10.4103/2249-4863.148139

Frias A, Palma C, Farriols N, Gonzalez L, Horta A.Anxious adult attachment may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2016;10(4):274-284. doi:10.1002/pmh.1348Kuo JR, Khoury JE, Metcalfe R, Fitzpatrick S, Goodwill A.An examination of the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder features: The role of difficulties with emotion regulation.Child Abuse Negl. 2015;39:147-55. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.08.008Westbrook J, Berenbaum H.Emotional awareness moderates the relationship between childhood abuse and borderline personality disorder symptom factors.J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(7):910-921. doi:10.1002/jclp.22389

Frias A, Palma C, Farriols N, Gonzalez L, Horta A.Anxious adult attachment may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder.Personal Ment Health. 2016;10(4):274-284. doi:10.1002/pmh.1348

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