Psychological Conflict in Borderline Personality as Represented by Inconsistent Self–Report Item Responding

Interpersonal theory conceptualizes variants of personality pathology as describable by two dimensions: affiliation and control. Inconsistent results in placing borderline personality along these dimensions have been interpreted by some as representing internal conflict or ambivalence on these dimensions, as opposed to a lack of relevance of these dimensions. This hypothesis was tested in a large clinical sample using inconsistency in self–report item responding on scales measuring affiliation and control to operationalize psychological conflict. Individuals with borderline personality features were more inconsistent in item responding to both scales than were individuals without borderline features. Item response inconsistency did not differentiate antisocial from non–antisocial participants. Results support the view that variability, as well as mean scores, on the interpersonal dimensions may be important for the conceptualizing some disorders, such as borderline, and offers a novel approach for representing such conflict.