Emotional competence and coping mechanisms in Croatian women with borderline personality disorder: the role of attachment

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in attachment, emotional competence and coping strategies among women with BPD and a control group, and the contribution of the attachment dimensions to the emotional competence and coping styles. Subjects and methods: The group of women with BPD (N=30) and control group of hospital employees (N=47) participated in this cross-sectional study. Attachment, emotional competence and coping were determined by using self-evaluation questionnaires. Results: The results showed that subjects with BPD more often had insecure attachment, lower emotional competence and ineffective coping strategies compared to controls. Higher levels of insecure attachment predicted lower levels of emotional competence and majority of ineffective coping strategies. Conclusion: The main findings of this study indicated the importance of insecure attachment to the maintaining of stress intolerance and, particularly, emotional incompetence, which has not been previously studied in the context of BDP. By improving emotional competence and developing more effective coping strategies during therapy, it is possible to contribute to better functionality across different life situations in women with BDP.