Distress tolerance moderates the relationship between negative affect intensity with borderline personality disorder levels
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A number of studies have suggested that negative emotionality and negative affect intensity play key roles in the development and maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, more recent research indicates that one's response to affective discomfort may be an even more important variable in the pathogenesis of BPD than either negative emotionality or negative affect intensity per se. As such, the current study aimed to empirically test the moderating role of 2 well-validated laboratory measures of the ability to tolerate psychological distress (distress tolerance) in the relationship of negative emotionality and negative affect intensity with BPD levels. Results provide laboratory-based evidence for a moderating effect of distress tolerance on the relationship of negative emotionality and negative affect intensity with levels of BPD. Specifically, the 2 former variables were related to levels of BPD among those with low distress tolerance. The current results add support to existing developmental frameworks of BPD and suggest the importance of modifying one's response to affective distress along with levels of negative emotionality in treatment settings.
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Distress intolerance on these tasks is heightened among SUD patients with borderline personality, antisocial personality, and posttraumatic stress disorders, and predicts treatment dropout among substance users in residential treatment.
“distress intolerance on these tasks has been found to be heightened among SUD patients with borderline personality, antisocial personality, and posttraumatic stress disorders, (Bornovalova et al., 2008; Bornovalova et al., 2011; Daughters et al., 2008) and to predict treatment dropout among substance users in residential treatment”
From Initial RCT of a distress tolerance treatment for individuals with substance use disorders (2012) · cites this paper as Bornovalova et al., 2011
The Current Study’s Preliminary Univariate Analyses (page unavailable) found no significant association between task-measured distress tolerance and borderline personality scores (β = −.10, p = .20). The Discussion likewise says distress tolerance was not associated with BPD at a univariate level, contrary to the cited claim that intolerance was heightened among patients with BPD. The citation is attached to the disorder clause, not the subsequent treatment-dropout clause. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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Initial RCT of a distress tolerance treatment for individuals with substance use disorders
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“Providing evidence for their convergent validity, distress intolerance on these tasks has been found to be heightened among SUD patients with borderline personality, antisocial personality, and posttraumatic stress disorders, (Bornovalova et al., 2008; Bornovalova et al., 2011; Daughters et al., 2008) and to predict t…”
BackgroundSelf-citationA Multilevel Perspective on the Development of Borderline Personality Disorder
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“(2011) reported a moderating effect of distress tolerance on the relationship between two temperamental-based emotional processes (negative emotionality and negative affect intensity) and levels of BPD [34].”
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The Nomological Network of Self-Reported Distress Tolerance
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“These findings are consistent with previous work (Bernstein et al., 2009; Bornovalova et al., 2008; Bornovalova, Gratz, et al., 2008; Cougle et al., 2012; Keough et al., 2010; Mahon et al., 2007; Vujanovic et al., 2011).”
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Negative affect mediates the relation between trait urgency and behavioral distress tolerance.
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“…an important correlate and predictor of psychopathology and risk behaviors including substance use-related problems (Brown et al., 2005; Daughters et al., 2005), bulimic symptoms (Anestis et al., 2007), depression (Clen et al., 2011), and borderline personality disorder (Bornovalova et al., 2011).”
BackgroundContextual Influences on Distress Intolerance: Priming Effects on Behavioral Persistence
Szuhany, K. L., & Otto, M. (2015) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/s10608-015-9672-x · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“…to be an important element in the development and maintenance of psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety (Schmidt et al. 2007a, b, 2006), posttraumatic stress (Tull et al. 2012), and personality disorders (Bornovalova et al. 2011; Daughters et al. 2008; Iverson et al. 2012; Sargeant et al. 2011).”
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“, (20, 21)], in which they were asked to rate their current negative emotional state (including anger) before and after the frustration induction.”
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Defining distress tolerance in a structural model of Big Five personality domains
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Affect intensity and negative mood regulation (NMR) expectancies: A preliminary Indian study
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“Results from yet another study suggest that negative affect intensity may be a risk factor for Borderline Personality Disorder symptoms in individuals with low distress tolerance (Bornovalova et al., 2011).”
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Escala de Tolerancia al Distrés: Propiedades Psicométricas en Estudiantes Universitarios Argentinos
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“Additionally, emotional reactivity appears likely to be a contributing individual difference factor in DT and appears to relate to a wide variety of negative behaviors including borderline personality symptoms (Bornovalova et al., 2011), depression symptoms (Ellis et al.”
BackgroundInfluentialA Study on Intergenerational Transmission of Dark Triad and Emotion Reactivity
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“High levels of DI have been linked to the development and maintenance of various psychopathologies, including substance use disorders (Brown et al., 2005), anxiety disorders (Laposa et al., 2015), and personality disorders (Bornovalova et al., 2011).”
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Distress Intolerance Is Associated With a Greater Reward Positivity to Aversive Avoidance Feedback
Albanese, B. J., Porro, D., Johnson, D. H., Clausen, B. K., Vujanovic, A. A., & Macatee, R. J. (2026) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/psyp.70236 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
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Rojas, E. C. (2013) · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida)
Self-citationEmotion regulation and Borderline Personality features
Porter, C. (2014) · CLOK (University of Central Lancashire)
Distress Tolerance in the Context of Emotional Reactivity and Learned Helplessness
Khan, F., Khan, A., Jan, S. U., & Khan, H. (2022) · International Journal of Cyber Behavior Psychology and Learning · doi:10.4018/ijcbpl.298687
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“As protective psychological resources, inner strengths have been shown to buffer emotional dysregulation, reduce rumination and self-injurious behaviors, and mitigate the adverse effects of neurot-icism and perceived stress on mental health (24, 26 – 29).”
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- Authors
- Bornovalova, M. A., Matusiewicz, A., & Rojas, E.
- Affiliations
- University of South Florida (US)
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Venue
- Comprehensive Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-11
- Volume
- 52
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 744-753
- ISSN
- 0010-440X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3085052
- OpenAlex
- W2113397465
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Comprehensive Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (P30DA028807, R36DA021820)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Keywords
- borderline personality disorder, distress tolerance, negative affectivity, moderating effect, emotional distress
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Borderline Personality Disorder, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Inventory, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychological Tests, Severity of Illness Index, Stress, Psychological, Substance-Related Disorders
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