Borderline Personality Features Moderate Emotion Reactivity and Emotion Regulation in Response to a Fear Stressor

Abstract

This study examined emotional reactivity and emotion regulation strategies used by participants high (n = 41) and low (n = 55) in borderline personality (BP) features. Participants were randomly assigned to a neutral or fear emotion induction, and emotional responses (self-report and psychophysiological) were assessed. Participants also reported the types of strategies they used to regulate their emotions during the emotion induction. The high-BP (but not low-BP) participants reported greater fear, Upset, and hostility in the fear condition compared with the neutral condition. The participants in the fear condition evidenced vagal withdrawal, relative to the neutral condition, although there was some evidence of vagal withdrawal among the high-BP group in the neutral condition as well. Further, the high-BP (vs. low-BP) participants reported greater use of distraction, cognitive reappraisal, and emotion suppression, and less use of emotional acceptance. Reported use of acceptance partially mediated the moderation effect of BP features on the relationship between condition and reported hostility.