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Features of borderline personality and violence
Author(s) -
Raine Adrian
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(199303)49:2<277::aid-jclp2270490222>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - psychology , personality , borderline personality disorder , clinical psychology , poison control , developmental psychology , social psychology , medical emergency , medicine
This study tested the hypothesis that borderline personality characterizes extreme violence by assessing features of borderline and schizotypal personality in three groups: Murderers, Violent, and Nonviolent adult offenders. Murderers had higher borderline personality scores than nonviolent offenders ( p <.04). A test for linear trend indicated a linear increase in borderline scores with increasing degree of violence across the three groups ( p <.02). No group differences were observed for schizotypal personality. Borderline traits associated with extreme violence consisted of unstable, intense relationships and affective instability. Group differences were not an artifact of group differences in age, social class, IQ, or number of previous custodies. It is concluded that borderline personality may predispose toward extreme forms of violence.