Citation

Lis S, Schaedler A, Liebke L, Hauschild S, Thome J, Schmahl C, Stahlberg D, Kleindienst N, Bohus M. J. Personal. Disord. 2018; 32(2): 192-206.

Affiliation

Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Guilford Publications)

DOI

10.1521/pedi_2017_31_292

PMID

28513345

Abstract

Hypersensitivity to injustice has been proposed to contribute to interpersonal dysfunction in borderline personality disorder (BPD). We investigated whether BPD features are related to sensitivity to injustice and whether justice sensitivity mediates the relationship between BPD features and aggressive behavior. In an online survey, subjects reported justice sensitivity from the perspective of a victim, an observer, a beneficiary, and a perpetrator, as well as BPD features and their own aggressive behavior. Justice sensitivity was higher in participants with a clinically relevant degree of BPD features when they evaluated injustice from the perspective of a victim or an observer. Victim sensitivity partially mediated the relationship between BPD features and the frequency of aggressive behavior. The present study provides first data on the important role of sensitivity to injustice in those with marked BPD features. Particularly, victim sensitivity with its close link to angry reactions may contribute to interpersonal problems in BPD.

Language: en