Identifying Trajectories of Borderline Personality Features in Adolescence

Abstract

Objective: To examine trajectories of adolescent borderline personality (BP) features in a normative-risk cohort (n ¼ 566) of Canadian children assessed at ages 13, 14, 15, and 16 and childhood predictors of trajectory group membership assessed at ages 8, 10, 11, and 12. Method: Data were drawn from the McMaster Teen Study, an on-going study examining relations among bullying, mental health, and academic achievement. Participants and their parents completed a battery of mental health and peer relations questionnaires at each wave of the study. Academic competence was assessed at age 8 (Grade 3). Latent class growth analysis, analysis of variance, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Three distinct BP features trajectory groups were identified: elevated or rising, intermediate or stable, and low or stable. Parent-and child-reported mental health symptoms, peer relations risk factors, and intra-individual risk factors were significant predictors of elevated or rising and intermediate or stable trajectory groups. Child-reported attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and somatization symptoms uniquely predicted elevated or rising trajectory group mem-bership, whereas parent-reported anxiety and child-reported ADHD symptoms uniquely predicted intermediate or stable trajectory group membership. Child-reported somatization symptoms was the only predictor to differentiate the inter-mediate or stable and elevated or rising trajectory groups (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.28). Associations between child-reported reactive temperament and elevated BP features trajectory group membership were 10.23 times higher among children who were bullied, supporting a diathesis–stress pathway in the development of BP features for these youth. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate the heterogeneous course of BP features in early adolescence and shed light on the potential prodromal course of later borderline personality disorder. Abré gé Objectif : Examiner les trajectoires des traits de la personnalité limite (PL) à l'adolescence dans une cohorte de risque normatif (N ¼ 566) d'enfants canadiens évalués à 13, 14, 15 et 16 ans, et les prédicteurs dans l'enfance de l'appartenance à un groupe de trajectoires évaluée à 8, 10, 11 et 12 ans. Mé thode : Le données ont été tirées de la McMaster Teen Study, une étude en cours qui examine les relations entre l'intimidation, la santé mentale, et la réussite scolaire. Les participants et leurs parents ont répondu à une batterie de questionnaires sur la santé mentale et les relations avec les pairs à chaque cycle de l'étude. Le rendement scolaire a été évalué à 8 ans (3 e année). Une analyse de croissance de la structure latente, une analyse de variance, et une régression logistique ont servi à analyser les données.