Maternal bonding impairment predicts personality disorder features in adolescence: The moderating role of child temperament and sex.

Fleck, Leonie; Fuchs, Anna; Moehler, Eva; Parzer, Peter; Koenig, Julian; Resch, Franz; Kaess, Michael (2021). Maternal bonding impairment predicts personality disorder features in adolescence: The moderating role of child temperament and sex. Personality disorders: theory, research, and treatment, 12(5), pp. 475-483. American Psychological Association 10.1037/per0000433

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Research has shown associations between adverse parenting experiences and (borderline) personality disorder ([B]PD). A biopsychosocial model suggests that child characteristics and the environment interact in the development of symptoms. However, prospective data in this aspect are limited. This study focused on maternal bonding impairment (MBI; 2 weeks postpartum) and its interactions with child temperament (age 5) and child sex as predictors of BPD symptoms and general personality dysfunction in adolescence. Participants were 64 mother-child dyads from a community sample who took part in a 14-year longitudinal study. Higher MBI was a significant predictor of general personality dysfunction as defined in Criterion A of the alternative model for PD of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Interactions showed that the effect of MBI on general personality dysfunction was decreased for children higher in harm avoidance and increased for children higher in novelty seeking. There was also a negative main effect of harm avoidance on (B)PD features. Regarding BPD symptoms, the MBI × Child Sex interaction indicated differential susceptibility. Girls' but not boys' BPD symptoms were dependent on maternal bonding. Our results indicate that children at risk of developing personality pathology can be identified early in life. They stress the importance of early relationship disturbances in the development of personality pathology and refine the understanding of differential susceptibility factors in the context of MBI and PD symptom development. Our findings can be applied to target at-risk dyads for selective early prevention based on temperament and maternal bonding. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy 04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Research Division
UniBE Contributor:	Koenig, Julian, Kaess, Michael
Subjects:	600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
ISSN:	1949-2715
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
Language:	English
Submitter:	Chantal Michel
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2022 08:55
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 15:56
Publisher DOI:	10.1037/per0000433
PubMed ID:	33570973
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/162315