R P Rifkin-Zybutz1,2,3,4, P Moran5, T Nolte6,7, Janet Feigenbaum7, Brooks King-Casas5,8,9,10, P Fonagy7, R P Montague11. 1. Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK. jb19343@bristol.ac.uk. 2. Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (BK-C, PHC), Roanoke, USA. jb19343@bristol.ac.uk. 3. Department of Psychology (BK-C, PHC), Virginia Tech, Roanoke, USA. jb19343@bristol.ac.uk. 4. Department of Psychiatry (BK-C, PHC), Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, USA. jb19343@bristol.ac.uk. 5. Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK. 6. Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK. 7. Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, University College London, London, UK. 8. Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (BK-C, PHC), Roanoke, USA. 9. Department of Psychology (BK-C, PHC), Virginia Tech, Roanoke, USA. 10. Department of Psychiatry (BK-C, PHC), Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, USA. 11. Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mentalizing, the ability to understand the self and others as well as behaviour in terms of intentional mental states, is impaired in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Evidence for mentalizing deficits in other mental disorders, such as depression, is less robust and these links have never been explored while accounting for the effects of BPD on mentalizing. Additionally, it is unknown whether BPD symptoms might moderate any relationship between depressive symptoms and mentalizing. METHODS: Using multivariate regression modelling on cross-sectional data obtained from a sample of 274 participants recruited from clinical settings, we investigated the association between mentalizing impairment and depression and examined whether this was moderated by the presence and number of concurrent BPD symptoms, while adjusting for socio-demographic confounders. RESULTS: Impaired mentalizing was associated with depressive symptoms, after adjustment for socio-demographic confounders and BPD symptoms (p = 0.002, β = - 0.18). BPD symptoms significantly moderated the association between impaired mentalizing and depressive symptoms (p = 0.003), with more severe borderline symptoms associated with a stronger effect of poor mentalization on increased depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Mentalizing impairments occur in depression even after adjusting for the effect of BPD symptoms. Our findings help further characterise mentalizing impairments in depression, as well as the moderating effect of BPD symptoms on this association.. Further longitudinal work is required to investigate the direction of association.
BACKGROUND: Mentalizing, the ability to understand the self and others as well as behaviour in terms of intentional mental states, is impaired in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Evidence for mentalizing deficits in other mental disorders, such as depression, is less robust and these links have never been explored while accounting for the effects of BPD on mentalizing. Additionally, it is unknown whether BPD symptoms might moderate any relationship between depressive symptoms and mentalizing. METHODS: Using multivariate regression modelling on cross-sectional data obtained from a sample of 274 participants recruited from clinical settings, we investigated the association between mentalizing impairment and depression and examined whether this was moderated by the presence and number of concurrent BPD symptoms, while adjusting for socio-demographic confounders. RESULTS: Impaired mentalizing was associated with depressive symptoms, after adjustment for socio-demographic confounders and BPD symptoms (p = 0.002, β = - 0.18). BPD symptoms significantly moderated the association between impaired mentalizing and depressive symptoms (p = 0.003), with more severe borderline symptoms associated with a stronger effect of poor mentalization on increased depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Mentalizing impairments occur in depression even after adjusting for the effect of BPD symptoms. Our findings help further characterise mentalizing impairments in depression, as well as the moderating effect of BPD symptoms on this association.. Further longitudinal work is required to investigate the direction of association.
Authors: Maria Christina Hausberg; Holger Schulz; Theo Piegler; Claas Gerhard Happach; Michael Klöpper; Anna Levke Brütt; Isa Sammet; Sylke Andreas Journal: Psychother Res Date: 2012-08-06
Authors: Melitta Fischer-Kern; Peter Fonagy; Nestor D Kapusta; Patrick Luyten; Sarah Boss; Andrea Naderer; Victor Blüml; Katharina Leithner Journal: J Nerv Ment Dis Date: 2013-03 Impact factor: 2.254