A Laboratory-Based Examination of Responses to Social Rejection in Borderline Personality Disorder: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation
Abstract
This study sought to build upon existing research on interpersonal sensitivity in borderline personality disorder (BPD) by examining whether emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between BPD and cognitive and emotional responses to social rejection. Participants with (n = 53) and without (n = 34) BPD reported on levels of negative affect and threat to four social needs (perceived control, belonging, selfesteem, and meaningful existence) in response to a laboratory-based social ostracism task (Cyberball). Results revealed heightened interpersonal (rejection) sensitivity among BPD (vs. non-BPD) participants, as evidenced by heightened threat to all social needs and nonspecific distress (although not overall negative affect) in response to the task. Furthermore, both overall emotion dysregulation and the specific dimensions involving emotion modulation strategies, emotional clarity, and the control of behaviors when distressed mediated the relationship between BPD status and several cognitive (threats to meaningful existence, belonging, and self-esteem) and emotional (nonspecific distress) responses to the task.
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People with Borderline Personality Disorder are hypersensitive to social exclusion.
“Finally, research indicates that people with BPD are hypersensitive to social exclusion (Domes et al., 2008;Gratz, Dixon-Gordon, Breetz, & Tull, 2013;Renneberg et al., 2012), which may be explained by the cognitiveaffective processing bias proposed in RS.”
From The link between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2019) · cites this paper as Gratz, Dixon-Gordon, Breetz, & Tull, 2013
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- Authors
- Gratz, K. L., Dixon-Gordon, K. L., Breetz, A., & Tull, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Mississippi Medical Center (US)
- American University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality Disorders
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2013-04
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 157-171
- ISSN
- 0885-579X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2172169029
- Cited by
- 84
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 6
- FWCI
- 8.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- borderline personality disorder, social rejection, interpersonal sensitivity, emotional dysregulation, ostracism, Cyberball, negative affect, emotional clarity, self-esteem, sense of belonging, meaningful life, perceived control
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotions, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychological Tests, Self Concept, Psychological Distance, Young Adult
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