Childhood Trauma, Borderline Personality, and Eating Disorders: A Developmental Cascade∗

In this article, we discuss the nature and role of trauma in relationship to borderline personality disorder and eating disorders. As is clinically evident, trauma can result in a variety of psychological consequences. These consequences include both Axis I and II disorders. Among the Axis II disorders, trauma appears to heighten the risk for the development of borderline, antisocial, avoidant, paranoid, and even schizotypal personality disorders. Likewise, trauma may heighten the risk for developing an eating disorder. There appear to be complex inter-relationships among trauma, borderline personality disorder, and eating disorders. In this article, we attempt to summarize these inter-relationships.