Do I matter? The connections between borderline personality traits and mattering

Borderline personality traits are marked by interpersonal vulnerabilities such as rejection sensitivity and fear of abandonment, but little research has examined their connections with mattering – the perception that one is important to others. We proposed that diminished mattering may be an important relational perception associated with borderline traits. Three studies of undergraduates used complementary methods: a cross-sectional survey (Study 1; N = 390), responses to ambiguous romantic rejection scenarios (Study 2; N = 186), and a daily diary design (Study 3; N = 576). Borderline traits were consistently associated with lower perceived mattering. Perceived rejection statistically accounted for the link with diminished mattering, and lower daily mattering accounted for borderline-related negative emotions. These findings suggest that mattering may be an important interpersonal representation for individuals with borderline personality traits.