Relations between cyclothymic temperament and borderline personality disorder traits in non-clinical adolescents

Abstract

Objectives. – The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between cyclothymic temperament and borderline personality disorder traits in adolescents and to identify a typology of adolescents based on temperamental traits (cyclothymic temperament and BPD traits). Participants and methods. – A sample of 312 adolescents completed several questionnaires assessing cyclothymic temperament, borderline personality disorder traits, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, antisocial behaviors and frequency of cannabis use. Results. – The Cyclothymic-Hypersensitive Temperament (CHT) questionnaire and the Borderline Per- sonality Features Scale for Children (BPFS-C) were highly correlated which suggests that these scales may measure the same construct. Factor analyses of the pooled items of both scales yielded two factors, ‘anger–impulsivity’ and ‘affective instability’, both composed half of items from both scales. The relation between these traits and suicidal ideation was fully mediated by depressive symptomatology. Cluster analysis showed that these traits may occur independently and that adolescents with both traits had the highest levels of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideations and antisocial behaviors. Discussion. – The CHT questionnaire and the BPFS-C may measure the same construct which appeared rel- evant for defining a subgroup of adolescents with high levels of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideations and antisocial behaviors.