Is Child Maltreatment a Risk Factor for Borderline Personality Disorder? A Systematic Review of Prospective Longitudinal Studies

Abstract

Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a clinical condition associated with numerous individual and collective negative consequences. According to several etiological theories and retrospective research, child maltreatment (CM) may be considered a central factor explaining BPD development. Objectives: In order to verify this hypothesis, a systematic review of prospective longitudinal studies was conducted. Methods: Following searches in five electronic databases, 19 articles that examined the relationship between CM (i.e., physical, sexual and emotional abuse; physical and emotional neglect) and BPD (i.e., diagnosis or severity score) were selected. Results: Overall, the results only partly confirm the hypothesis that CM is a risk factor for BPD. Evidence for a prospective relationship between CM and later BPD is stronger in studies using a symptom count compared to a categorical diagnosis. However, the small number of studies precludes assessing the differential impacts between CM types and BPD. Conclusion: Available prospective longitudinal studies do not unequivocally support the idea that CM is a robust risk factor for BPD. Future research needs are discussed.