What Causes Borderline Personality Disorder?
No one knows exactly what causes Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). As with other personality disorders, it typically begins to emerge in adolescence or early adulthood, but may have origins long before this time in an individuals life.
We do know that many adults who exhibit BPD report traumatic childhood experiences that include significant abuse, neglect, and other trauma. This combined with specific genetic factors seem to provide the ingredients necessary to contribute to the development of BPD
We do know that many adults who exhibit BPD report traumatic childhood experiences that include significant abuse, neglect, and other trauma. This combined with specific genetic factors seem to provide the ingredients necessary to contribute to the development of BPD
Diathesis-Stress Theory
Marsha Linehan (founder of Dialectical Behavior Therapy) has proposed the leading model for the development of BPD in individuals. Her theory suggests that those with the appropriate biological/genetic predispositions are raised in family situations that invalidate feelings, engage in neglectful or abusive behaviors, or prioritize the parents needs above that of the children. Efforts by the child to communicate with the parents may be ignored or, in some cases, punished.