Impulsivity and Childhood Trauma Experience in Borderline Personality Disorder and Healthy Controls: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Borderline personality disorder is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by pervasive patterns of affective instability, self-image disturbances, interpersonal relationship instability, marked impulsivity and suicidal behaviour. Impulsive trait is a major component of BPD. Another major risk factor for the development of borderline personality disorder is childhood trauma. The objective of this study was to compare childhood trauma and impulsivity in borderline personality disorder and healthy controls. Methods: This is a hospital based cross sectional comparative study. Patients seeking treatment in inpatient and outpatient in Department of psychiatry, Patan Hospital, Lalitpur, Nepal who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken. Patients were divided into two groups: BPD (n=21) and HC (n=42). Childhood trauma questionnaire-28 and Barratt Impulsivity score-11 were filled. Results: The mean Barratt Impulsivity score-11 for borderline personality disorder was 76.95±11.06 and 66.42± 8.92 in health controls. The observed difference was statistically significant (p=<0.001). Childhood trauma questionnaire-28 score for borderline personality disorder was 69.05±21.37 and that for healthy control was 46.43±9.27. The observed difference was statistically significant (p-value<0.05). Conclusions: In this study higher impulsivity and childhood trauma experience was observed with BPD than HC.